Brasília, 8/4/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - With the objective of achieving greater integration of police forces in the fight against organized crime, a five-day international seminar took place in Brasilia involving FBI agents, representatives of the Federal Police, the Brazilian Intelligence Agency (Abin), the Justice Department, the Ministry of Finance and the Brazilian Army. In practical terms, reports the head of Brazil's Federal Police, Paulo Lacerda, greater integration will create a smoother relationship among police forces making it easier for them to investigate and combat organized crime and money laundering operations.

In a first, the FBI ran the seminar. According to Richard Cavalieros, a diplomat who represents the FBI at the American embassy in Brasilia, one result of the event will be greater cooperation between the US and Brazil in the fight against international terrorism. (AB)