RILO AP has been participated in the regional pre-operational co-ordination meeting for Operation Athena II held in Singapore from 9 to 10 July 2019. The Operation Athena II is designed to target illicit trafficking of cultural objects which was endorsed in the 38th Session of the WCO Enforcement Committee. Such global Customs-Police Operation is organized by the WCO in cooperation with INTERPOL and the WCO RILO Network would support the operational activities.

The Operation Athena II aims to increase the level of detection of illicit trade of cultural objects and the quantity of seizures made by Customs, Police and other enforcement agencies. A total of 21 representatives of Customs and police administrations from the Asia and the Pacific region have participated in this meeting along with representatives from the INTERPOL, WCO and RILO AP for better cooperation and coordination in the coming operational phase. During the meeting, WCO and the INTERPOL promoted the usage of the ARCHEO platform and the INTEPROL Stolen Works of Art respectively, while RILO AP introduced its function sand WCO technical tool, notably CENComm platform using in the operation. The Operational phase will be commenced in late September 2019 and RILO AP will act as a coordinator and focal point of customs administration in the Asia and the Pacific region of the Operation.