UNODC and WCO launched the Air Cargo segment of the Container Control Programme (CCP) at Karachi Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan with a Theoretical Training of the Karachi Air Cargo Control Unit from 16 – 27 November 2015.

The two-week training brought together 20 officials from the national implementing agencies - Anti-Narcotics Forces (ANF), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR, Customs), and Civil Aviation Authorities (CAA) - for the Air Cargo Control Unit.

The inter-agency Air Cargo Control Unit at Karachi Airport is the first unit of its kind, expanding the activities of the joint UNODC-WCO Container Control Programme to air cargo. The unit will be tasked to profile air cargo consignments to prevent the exploitation of air cargo for illicit drug trafficking and smuggling of other illegal and prohibited commodities such as chemical precursors, arms and ammunition, endangered species, and items infringing intellectual property rights whilst ensuring the free flow of legitimate air cargo.

The training was conducted by experts of the World Customs Organization and the United Kingdom Border Force (UKBF), supported by specialists of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and UNODC.

It covered numerous operational topics such as risk indicators, profiling and selection of shipments, smuggling techniques and concealments, interagency cooperation and information exchange, search techniques (including evidence handling), aerodrome safety, CITES and air cargo security.

Following the well-established training approach and structure of the Container Control Programme, a Practical Training on air cargo control at Karachi Airport will be conducted in early 2016.

Additional WCO Member administrations will be included in the new Air Cargo segment of the CCP in 2016.