A Study Visit of eleven officers from Ukrainian Customs (State Fiscal Service) and the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS), jointly organized by the UNODC-WCO Container Control Program (CCP) and the Israel Customs Directorate took place in Haifa, Israel on November 26-28, 2019.
Such Work Study Tours are an integral part of CCP’s comprehensive training package and provide a unique opportunity for participants to learn techniques to counter the illicit trade in narcotics, firearms and other dangerous goods, and to cooperate in the fight against Organized Crime.
The Study Visit featured a comprehensive program of lectures by Israel Customs senior level experts covering topics ranging from Customs procedures and regulations to security, technology and risk assessment and were complemented by on-site visits and joint learning activities.
The first day of the visit focused on the port of Haifa and the Customs regional office; a tour of the scanner site was arranged.
The second day focused on core Customs areas and procedures, such as risk assessment and intellectual property rights.
The program of the third day covered Customs enforcement and the Cargo Analysis Center. The Ukrainian officers also participated in a tour of the Jordan River Border Crossing.
The seminar enabled the participating officers to gain a comprehensive insight on strategies, working procedures and technologies employed at Israel Customs and raised pertinent questions and conclusions applicable to the same areas in their home country. The seminar also served as a platform to strengthen the work relations among the participants and between the participants and Israeli hosts.
In the closing session, the Ukrainian officials expressed their satisfaction with the level of professionalism, openness and hospitality demonstrated by their Israeli counterparts. The CCP Coordinator for the Black Sea region concluded: "We’re confident that such visits help to build personal and professional relationships among the law enforcement officers from different countries which ultimately assist in fighting transnational organized crime".