By Nanou van Iersel
FloraHolland is the biggest flower auction in the Netherlands with a territory that compares to the size of Monaco. About ten thousand trucks come in and leave from there every day. Considering this far-reaching, international distribution and transport network, criminals happily tap into it for the smuggling of narcotics and other illicit goods. This also brings with it illicit financial transactions, money laundering structures, worker exploitation and human trafficking.
Against this background, FloraHolland launched the center for a resilient floriculture sector (Centrum Weerbare Sierteeltsector) in 2022. This center facilitates data and knowledge exchange between public and private partners to advance the identification, reporting, and prevention of criminal activities. It connects partners such as administrative and operational workers, local police, customs officers, company security guards, and the municipalities of Aalsmeer and Uithoorn.
Invited by the Impact Coalition for Safety and Security (ICSS), AI MAPS researchers were able to join a guided tour by Centrum Weerbare Sierteeltsector. Together with around twenty ICSS partners, we started the day with coffee and a presentation by a local police officer on public-private collaboration at the center. After that, one of FloraHolland’s security guards gave us a tour around a distribution warehouse on site. We ended the day by exchanging various local innovation projects for the detection and prevention of crime, including smart drones and surveillance of ports. Altogether, we were thankful for the insights into the day-to-day work practices of various types of security and safety professionals.
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