Representatives of shipping companies and customs authorities worldwide came together in June this year to discuss a way forward regarding the fight against drug trafficking.
A conference was held by the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the Container Control Program (CCP) and was a joint effort of both the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO).
The goal of the event was to counter recent developments, including the increasingly large shipments of illicit drugs, by boosting relationships and communications between the ocean liner industry and customs officials.
WCO reported several recurring themes that emerged during the conference, most prevalent of which were the need for greater transparency of information on container shipment data, the need for cross-training efforts between customs authorities and liner carriers, and the need to identify and remove insider threats.
The event brought together some of the best minds in the field, and the WSC, WCO and UNODC plan to build on this network of people to augment the fight against the illicit drug trade.
