Introduction

In 2003, the World Customs Organization (WCO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) initiated the Container Control Programme (CCP) for the purpose of enhancing port surveillance in developing countries to minimize the risk of maritime containers being exploited and used for illicit drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and other forms of fraudulent activity.

The growth in the number of containers being shipped around the world annually poses a security challenge to international trade. While the majority of legitimate goods are transported by means of containers, many sorts of illicit goods (drugs, counterfeit goods, endangered species of wild fauna and flora, etc.) can also be transported in these containers. The difficulty, particularly for developing countries, lies in applying relevant and effective controls. By laying the foundations of cooperation and inter-institutional teamwork, the CCP highlights the enormous potential for increasing synergy between Customs, the police, the private sector and other law enforcement agencies.

Operational implementation

The CCP is currently in operation at the following seaports:

• Guayaquil and Manta (Ecuador)
• Port Tema (Ghana)
• Karachi and Port Qasim (Pakistan)
• Dakar (Senegal)

Main activities

The CCP comprises the following activities:

• Theoretical and practical training specially adapted to surveillance of sea containers including information exchange, risk assessment and targeting techniques, governance, and integrity. Training is also provided on the use of ContainerCOMM, an internet based, secure, multifunctional communication system developed by the WCO Secretariat to facilitate the encrypted exchange of sensitive information, particularly the movement of suspected high risk containers.
• Establishment of “Joint Port Control Units”. These teams combine officials from Customs authorities, police services and any other law enforcement agencies.

• Encouragement of alliances between state services, economic operators and trade associations to promote information exchange and to prevent any diversion of legitimate trade for criminal purposes.

• Cooperation with international bodies involved in the regulation and supervision of global container traffic.

International support

Current CCP donor countries include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, and the United Kingdom. In addition the CCP has received in-kind contributions from Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, France, Germany, Ghana, Norway, Spain, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

International and not-for-profit organizations actively supporting CCP implementation include the Business Alliance for Secure Commerce (BASC), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO/INTERPOL), the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), and the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI).

Programme coordinators