WCO accredited trainers in Sri Lanka Customs have initiated a training programme for their fellow Customs Officers on explosive chemical precursors, as part of its efforts to counter the illicit diversion and trafficking of precursor chemicals used by terrorists and other criminal organizations to manufacture explosive devices.
The training programme falls under the auspices of Programme Global Shield (PGS), an international initiative launched by WCO in 2010 to monitor the trade in 14 precursor chemicals used in improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The first training session for Customs officials in Sri Lanka was held on 24-27 march for 20 participants. Participants were trained on the identification of IEDs and precursor chemicals, the WCO safe framework as well as risk management. Several more training sessions will be conducted throughout 2014, and by the end of the year, about 110 officers will have been trained.
Sri Lanka is an importer of ammonium nitrate, acetone, and urea - all legal substances that can also be used for manufacturing IEDs, and therefore all part of the chemicals monitored within Programme Global Shield. As a country very well aware of the effects of terrorism, the training programme on explosive chemical precursors demonstrates the serious effort Sri Lanka Customs is making to play their part in reducing the threat of terrorism and securing the global supply chain.