WCO Deputy Secretary General Ricardo Treviño Chapa attended the high-level debriefing and interim evaluation meeting of Operation DEMETER in Xiamen, China, from 19 to 21 November 2024, which was organized by the WCO in cooperation with China Customs and sponsored by China Customs Cooperation Fund (CCF-China). Aiming to evaluate progress and chart future courses with Customs administrations and enforcement partners, the event saw the attendance of the Vice Minister of China Customs, officials from the European Anti-Fraud Office and the BRS Secretariat, and representatives from partner international organizations. Discussions helped identify new strategies and partnerships to support enforcement bodies.

Recognizing the exceptional achievements made throughout 10 iterations of Operation DEMETER since 2009, Ricardo Treviño Chapa declared: “Operation Demeter gives an overview of the extent of environmental crime and of the need to increase vigilance. It is imperative to redouble our efforts to ensure a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable world.”

Rolph Payet, Executive Secretary of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, highlighted in his speech that Operation DEMETER was a unique opportunity for countries to strengthen the implementation of the Basel Convention on the ground, and encouraged Customs and environmental authorities to develop strong relationships.

Operation DEMETER X

The tenth iteration of WCO Operation DEMETER, which targets illicit wastes, ozone depleting substances (ODS) and potent greenhouse gases, took place over eight weeks in the second semester of 2024. It saw the participation of a record 110 Customs administrations and led to 450 seizures.

Operation DEMETER dates back to 2009 and is perhaps the most well-known of the efforts deployed by the Customs community to implement the provisions of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, and, since 2019, to implement the provisions of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, including the Kigali Amendment[1].

These Operations enable participating Customs administrations to gauge their targeting capacities and to share data on seizures as well as insights to identify high-risk consignments and strengthen cooperation mechanisms.

Cooperation is intended to take place not only at the international level, but also nationally, with agencies in charge of implementing regulations on the movement of the targeted products. Each iteration of Operation Demeter has demonstrated the importance of joint enforcement actions at the national level to effectively combat environmental crime.

Seizures illustrate the extent of illicit trade

In the course of Operation DEMETER X, 450 seizures related to the targeted commodities were reported by 47 Customs administrations via CENcomm, the WCO’s secure and encrypted communication tool.

These seizures included 324 seizures of waste, 99 seizures of ODS, HFCs and equipment containing or relying on controlled substances under the Montreal Protocol, and 27 seizures of other commodities, including restricted or prohibited commodities such as hazardous chemicals.

In terms of quantities, cumulatively, 10,285,338.48 kg and 1,441,843 pieces (not weighed) were seized, including:

• 9,839,184.93 kg of waste and an additional non-weighed 1,422,981 pieces of waste;
• 344,625.9 kg of ODS & HFCs, and 24,198.9 kg and 11,620 pieces of equipment containing or relying on controlled substances; and
• 77,328.75 kg and 7,242 pieces of other restricted or prohibited goods.

Waste

E-waste, plastic waste, metal waste, and end-of-life vehicles were the most traded categories of illegal waste in terms of the number of seizures. In terms of quantity in kg, plastic waste was the first category, constituting 24.71% of the overall quantity seized. It was followed by metal waste, paper waste, end-of-life vehicles/machinery, and e-waste.

The majority of seizures (55.25%) were made at export and in transit. This highlights sustained efforts and growing awareness in both departure and transit territories. The majority of seizures made at export (53.09%) took place in Europe. A notable number of seizures was also made in Asia and in North America.

Countries of Asia and Africa were major destinations, with 45.99% and 37.96% respectively of the total number of seizures being made on cargo sent to one of the two continents. Africa was the first destination for illegal waste shipments departing from Europe, with 72 (41.86%) of the seizures related to waste being destined for an African country, followed by Asia with 62 seizures (36.05%).

Vessels were the primary mode of conveyance for waste seizures and the majority of commodities seized were not concealed. Customs administrations reported that illicit shipments were detected using risk profiling, routine control and random selection.

Substances controlled under Montreal Protocol

17 Customs administrations reported seizures related to substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment, which entered into force in 2019. Administrations from Gambia, Bulgaria and Italy stood out in the number of seizures they reported. However, in terms of the quantity seized, Sri Lanka took first place, followed by Italy and North Macedonia.

HFCs were the most prominently trafficked known commodities both in terms of the number of seizures and the quantity seized, while unspecified controlled substances and mixtures topped the list in terms of quantity seized. Eight Customs administrations reported 27 seizures totalling 24,198.9 kg, along with an additional 11,620 pieces of equipment.

Vessels and vehicles were the predominant modes of conveyance both for substances controlled under the Montreal Protocol and for equipment containing or relying on the controlled substances. Most seizures took place at inland and border posts and at seaports, with some seizures made at traders’ and sellers’ premises. Most seizures resulted from routine control.

Building capacities

The WCO Secretariat provided guidance to participants ahead of Operation DEMETER X, in line with the Guidelines on the Implementation of WCO Operations at National Level. Additionally, participants received instructions and advice on developing risk profiles for targeted commodities.

Some officers participated in the workshops in Mauritius, China, and Senegal organized by the WCO Secretariat with the financial support of China Customs. These events brought together over 150 Customs officers and environmental stakeholders who carried out in-depth and practical exercises related to illegal trade in waste, ODS and HFCs. They also received training on the CENcomm tool which significantly improved the quality of the information they reported. In addition, 46 Customs officers designated as National Contact Points for Operation Demeter attended regional workshops organized by the Basel Convention Secretariat.

Milestone

The tenth iteration of Operation DEMETER represents a milestone in several ways.

Capacity building activities undertaken ahead of the Operation have been strengthened, including through enhanced cooperation with the Basel Convention Secretariat. One of the WCO workshops was designed jointly with the latter and was open to participants from environmental agencies, setting the foundations for future joint training events in the future. Thanks to the success of the joint workshop, the Basel Convention Secretariat invited Customs officers to participate to its own workshops during the Operation.

Collaboration has also been established this year with the Green Customs Initiative (GCI) Secretariat, which brings together the WCO, other international organizations and the secretariats of relevant trade-related Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). Fruitful discussions have already taken place to discuss ways to enhance future preparation and operational activities.

Although it is difficult to compare results from one operation to the next given that the number of participants and the length of each operation differ, the number of reported seizures has notably increased in the last three years, from 139 in 2022 to 351 in 2023 and 450 in 2024. The quantities seized have also grown. This has enabled the WCO Secretariat to develop meaningful analysis for the benefit of participating administrations and partners.

Appreciation

Operation DEMETER X received financial backing from China Customs and extensive technical support from the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office for Asia/Pacific. Additionally, a range of international partners, including the Basel Convention Secretariat, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), the UNODC Unwaste Project, INTERPOL, and the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL), alongside the WCO RILO network, played pivotal roles in bolstering capacity building activities and facilitating information sharing within their respective networks.

[1] This amendment commits countries to phasing down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which contribute to global warming and climate change.