SMAUG Project team interviews!
We are thrilled to present our remarkable team and the collective journey we are embarking upon to a safer maritime environment!
As we gather in unity, each consortium partner brings a unique set of skills, perspectives, and expertise that contribute to the dynamic tapestry of our collaboration. The SMAUG team forms a cohesive force driven by a shared vision and a commitment to excellence aiming to improve and enhance the security of ports and their entrance routes.
A highly experienced consortium consisting of 22 partners including Universities, Research Centres, SMEs, Law Enforcement Agencies, Public authorities, Coastal / Border guards and Private organisations which span across 7 EU countries (Spain, Estonia, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Norway) countries shaping the SMAUG consortium!
Let’s sail away to meet the SMAUG partners.
AEAT (Spanish Tax Agency) (Spain)
Hidalgo García Bango introduces AEAT (Spanish Tax Agency) and his views on the SMAUG project!
Let us know more about yourself. How your expertise is linked with the project. What drives you to be involved in the project?
The AEAT (Spanish Tax Agency) and within it, the Spanish Customs and Customs Surveillance is one of the national organizations of our country dedicated to the fight against smuggling. Within this smuggling, drug trafficking and trafficking in weapons and tobacco are prominent. In recent years, the increase in maritime drug trafficking through the use of parasitic loads, drop-off and narco-submarines has been detected through our operations and international intelligence. This situation has determined the existence of a failure in our protection of the ports, coasts and seas of Spain. Currently the only way to detect these means of smuggling is through human resources or intelligence, or through the control of ships by divers. The low availability of divers in Spain prevents effective control in ports, and to a lesser extent on the coasts or further into the sea. Spanish Customs hopes that the SMAUG project will increase the degree of control and detection of these crimes.
AEAT’s role in SMAUG. In which activities you are involved? Which results do you expect to generate?
Our role within the SMAUG project is that of end users. As such, we are responsible, together with other partners, for determining the final validation scenarios of the project. These scenarios will determine the use of the system for the protection of ports, coasts and seas of the member states. Likewise, we hope to help achieve the objectives of the SMAUG project through our knowledge of drug trafficking, helping other partners both in the WPs in which we are involved and in any other activity in which we are needed for the project.
How do you think SMAUG is expected to impact the community?
We think that the SMAUG project will have a positive impact as the beginning of an autonomous system that allows European authorities to increase the detection of parasitic loads on ships, drop offs and narco-submarines. Through the development of this project, the protection of critical infrastructures, such as ports and rivers, will be improved. Also, the detection on coasts and inland of the sea of the use of these illicit activities. All of this will allow the European people to be protected from the scourge of drugs or arms trafficking.
And finally, what is the most exciting part of the SMAUG project?
AEAT, within its continuous search for new methods, equipment and systems to combat smuggling and drug trafficking, is completely committed to the development of the project for its possible future use by our organization. This development connects us with the latest technological advances in drones, sonar detection, and others, and allows us to contact other partners and, especially, other end users with our same objectives and concerns.
Explore AEAT: https://sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es/Sede/en_gb/inicio.html
Discover the SMAUG team!