Between February 2022 and January 2023, 138 violent events involving the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were reported in the Americas and Caribbean region. Such devices can be made from a range of materials, including commercially available chemicals. As these materials are often sourced outside of the country in which the attack occurs, any countries’ strategy to counter IED production would require national Customs administrations to closely monitor trade in these materials and strengthen controls to identify and stem their diversion. To support the Customs administrations of the region in this field, the WCO Secretariat has conducted several activities in recent months, including two workshops and a threat analysis, culminating in a two-week enforcement operation named Operation Arena Blanca.

Operation Arena Blanca

Thirteen precursor chemicals, identified by industry experts as posing the greatest threat in terms of their use in IEDs, were the focus of these various activities, along with detonators and transmitting devices, one metal (aluminum) and commercial drones (HS subheading 8525.80). Aluminum paste, powder or flakes can enhance the explosion capability of IEDs, while commercially available drones can be used either for the delivery of IEDs or as IEDs in themselves, set to detonate when picked up or examined.

To prepare for this Operation, participating administrations were requested to conduct trade and threat analyses, draft national implementation plans and risk profiles, identify other government agencies (e.g. Police, licensing or permit-issuing authorities) to join the Operation, conduct training, set up joint control units at selected border points wherever possible, and set up a National Contact Point (Hub) comprised of representatives of all partner agencies.

During the operational phase, Customs administrations and partner agencies were asked to strengthen controls on all cross-border operations (importation, transit, exportation) involving the targeted goods, and enhance targeting capacities in order to identify smuggling attempts. They were also to conduct end-user audits to ensure legal usage of the materials concerned, and report any suspicious movements or usage to enable follow-up investigations. Information related to such controls, whether they resulted in a seizure or not, was to be reported via CENcomm – the WCO’s secure operational communication platform.

Results

Twenty-four administrations of the Americas and Caribbean region participated in Operation Arena Blanca, and 1,788 licit shipments were reported during the operational phases. Among all goods monitored under the operation, the most prominent traded commodity was urea, for both importation and exportation, followed by ammonium nitrate and hydrogen peroxide. Mexico imported the most targeted precursor chemicals and components, followed by Guatemala and Costa Rica. Brazil exported the highest amounts of targeted precursor chemicals and components, followed by Honduras.

The following targeted commodities were seized during the Operation:

• 830 kg of chemical precursors, including 800 kg of undeclared potassium nitrate seized at Balboa seaport by Panama Customs. The shipment was hidden in a container of ammonium nitrate. The Customs check was based on risk profiling.
• 20,000 detonators discovered by Ecuador Customs in the luggage of a Peruvian passenger travelling on a coach from Peru to Ecuador, during a routine control.

Some administrations also reported seizures of other illicit commodities including more than 18,000 kg of drugs, nearly 7,000,000 pieces of IPR infringing goods, cigarettes, weapons, ammunition and currency.

Way forward

This was the first time the WCO Secretariat had worked with Customs administrations of the Americas and Caribbean region on IED precursors and other components, and it offered a unique opportunity to identify capacity building needs and enhancement opportunities.

Building on the efforts deployed in the past few months, participants have been invited to:

• continue analysing licit trade flows to gain a better understanding of the movement and end-use of the targeted products, to enhance the efficiency of controls;
• report data on legal trade flows and seizures via the WCO secure communication tool;
• continue training activities;
• strengthen licence checks and post-clearance audits, and share intelligence with other relevant agencies;
• reach out to private stakeholders in the chemicals industry in order to increase awareness of the dual-use capability of the precursor chemicals they manufacture, distribute or retail;
• collaborate with legitimate end-users such as the mining industry, and ensure they secure their stocks in order to prevent products from falling into the wrong hands;
• enhance Customs-Police cooperation.

About Programme Global Shield

The support delivered by the WCO Secretariat falls under Programme Global Shield (PGS). Launched in 2010, this Programme aims at building Customs capacity to monitor licit movements and counter the illicit trafficking and diversion of explosive precursor chemicals and other components of IEDs.

The team in charge of this Programme at the Secretariat: supports Customs administrations by undertaking an assessment of their enforcement capacities; promotes cooperation among Customs and Police; engages with private industry; trains Customs officers in detecting and handling precursor chemicals; shares information on the composition and production methods of captured IEDs; facilitates investigations; and organizes enforcement operations. In doing so the team partners with INTERPOL and the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), as well as with many experts from Customs and other enforcement agencies.

Another aim of PGS is to increase the exchange of information between Customs administrations and the WCO Secretariat, to enable the comprehensive analysis of licit and illicit trade. To help attain this objective, Member administrations have been called upon to appoint PGS National Contact Points.

Finally, administrations are encouraged to reach out to private stakeholders in the chemicals industry in order to increase their awareness of the dual-use capability of the precursor chemicals they manufacture, distribute or retail.