At a time when the number of people infected with Covid-19 is increasing, the volume of hazardous medical waste is also increasing. Experience from foreign law enforcement authorities has shown that this time of the pandemic is also being attempted by dishonest persons, including organised criminal groups, in order to obtain illegal income in breach of sanitary waste management rules. In order to draw attention to this pressing problem and to better coordinate inter-institutional cooperation at both national and international level, Europol launched the Retrovirus operation in March this year, which was immediately joined by the State Police, becoming the co-ordinator of the plans for this operation in Latvia.
The operation involves the exchange of information of a different nature, both at national and international level, in order to monitor compliance with medical waste management requirements and to exchange current information of a different nature which can contribute to the fight against criminal offences by law enforcement authorities which threaten public health.
The State Environmental Service and the Health Inspectorate have also become participants in the operation. By continuing trilateral cooperation at national level and by establishing new channels of cooperation, the responsible authorities will ensure that no criminal offences are committed in the field of medical waste management, but that if such offences are identified, effective investigations into these offences will be carried out with strong support from Europol.
The national police recall that, during this pandemic period, the management of medical waste will be given increased attention by the responsible authorities, and calls on those involved in the management of this waste, from waste producers to waste recyclers, to treat their obligations with the greatest responsibility.
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