Cooperation of Police Forces, Border Police and Custom Services in Combating Crime Against Cultural Heritage

The article studies the issue of cooperation of the police, border and customs services in the sphere of protection of cultural heritage. The first part of the article presents most important Polish institutions like the National Group Countering Crime Against Heritage dealing with all types of crime against cultural heritage (cultural goods, historical sites). Using examples of such institutions as Interpol, Europol or Eurojust and organizations cooperating with them ICOM, UNESCO, WCO, UNIDROIT, Art. Loss Register – ALR, Ebay in the second part the author presents those instruments of international cooperation of investigative authorities that can be effectively used in fighting crime aimed at national and international cultural heritage including a special CD ‘Stolen Works of Art’ addressed mostly to people and institutions connected with the trade in art works and a computer database of information on stolen works of art with their description and their photographs. The author believes that one of the most crucial factors in this fight is the existence of special police units dealing only with crimes against cultural goods. Some of these units, as model examples of such units, were discussed in detail. The article is concluded with an evaluation of present model of countering crime against cultural heritage and with remarks on how it can be improved.