On 10 September 2019, officers from Brazil Customs’ Port Control Unit (PCU) in the Port of Santos profiled outbound container shipments to Europe.
Based on indicators developed using risk analysis techniques and X-ray technology, a container filled with bags of granulated sugar was selected for control. Forty-nine bags from this sugar consignment showed traces of cocaine, leading to a seizure totalling 1,482 kg of the drug. The container was bound for Antwerp, Belgium.
The WCO Secretary General, Dr. Kunio Mikuriya, noted that the PCU in Santos, which was established under the UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme (CCP), is one of the most effective out of over 100 PCUs worldwide. He congratulated Brazil Customs for this remarkable seizure, and underlined the success of the CCP concept, which will celebrate its 15th anniversary at the WCO in October 2019.