On 30 June 2026, the World Customs Organization (WCO), during its 147th/148th council sessions, convened a panel with representatives from Customs, law enforcement and the judicial system to discuss how Customs can better respond to the ever-present threat of drug trafficking. This topic resonated with all WCO members, given Customs’ vital role in protecting society. Drug trafficking continues to be one of the leading threats requiring greater resources to ensure interdiction, enforcement and cooperation between Customs administrations and partners around the world.
Despite sustained and determined efforts by Customs, criminal organisations are increasingly well-resourced and highly adaptive, operating with ever-evolving sophistication across borders and developing new trafficking methods. The rapid rise of synthetic drugs, which are cheaper to produce, easier to conceal and constantly modified to evade detection, has further intensified this threat. At the same time, the infiltration of legitimate supply chains by criminal actors presents an additional and critical layer of risk.
Aligning with the WCO’s theme for this year: “Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment”, the panel focused on how Customs administrations can sharpen their strategies, enhance vigilance and maintain unwavering commitment in the fight against drug trafficking. The discussion highlighted the need to move beyond drug seizures, emphasising stronger collaboration between Customs, police and the judiciary to intensify investigations and prosecutions aimed at dismantling transnational organised crime networks.
Facilitating trade while securing borders
Panellists noted the challenges Customs faced in ensuring the timely movement of legitimate goods while addressing the rising volumes of illicitly traded goods moving through the global supply chain. They underscored Customs’ unique position in the supply chain and its strategic role in shaping and implementing effective enforcement strategies. These strategies must pivot away from traditional profiling methods to keep pace with the evolving concealment tactics used by organised crime. Panellists pointed to the need for Customs to shift towards intelligence-based targeting and risk-profiling models, invest in innovative technology, and ensure that frontline officers receive regular training in inspection methods, data analysis and risk profiling.
Strengthening enforcement through law enforcement partnerships
The partnership between Customs and police and the critical need for coordinated engagement were key messages throughout the discussions. To dismantle criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, coordinated enforcement operations and intelligence-sharing to support investigations were widely mentioned as essential.
Access to secure information-sharing networks, such as the WCO’s Customs Enforcement Network (CEN) or INTERPOL’s Purple Notices, enables Customs and police to share intelligence and promote early warning of smuggling risks. This is essential for coordinated enforcement activities and for keeping pace with the changing concealment and trafficking methods adopted by criminal networks. Inter-agency cooperation and operational efforts are strengthened through access to real-time data.
Turning seizures into successful prosecutions
Panellists stressed that to ensure successful prosecutions and permanently dismantle criminal networks, the process from the initial seizure of illicit drugs to legal proceedings must be coordinated and supported both nationally and internationally across agencies. The judiciary plays a critical role in the fight against drug trafficking and must be fully integrated into enforcement strategies. Through information-sharing and mutual legal assistance mechanisms, Customs and law enforcement agencies exchange intelligence, seizure data, images and concealment methods that help build robust evidentiary cases, support the successful prosecution of criminals and organised networks and strengthen cross-border enforcement. Without the ability to share intelligence and seizure records, the judiciary is limited in its ability to prosecute criminal actors.
To keep pace with the sophistication, creativity and adaptability of drug trafficking networks, there is a need for closer inter-agency cooperation, use of digital forensics, strong evidentiary records and addressing legislative gaps related to the proper identification and criminalisation of illicit drugs and their precursors. Criminals will continuously look for gaps to exploit, and administrations must continuously review, reform and update their tools and legal powers to protect society from the impact of the illicit drug trade.
A shared commitment to protecting society
The discussions reaffirmed Customs’ strategic role in disrupting the trade in illicit drugs. The WCO and its members expressed their dedication and commitment to combating this cross-border threat together. They called upon each other to strengthen information-sharing mechanisms and tools and increase capacity-building and training efforts to ensure consistent skills, approaches and efforts in effectively targeting these illegal consignments and addressing this challenge. In committing to collaboration across Customs, they also recognised the importance of a whole-of-society approach to tackling this issue – including across administrations and agencies, and with all actors along the supply chain.
The critical importance of continued vigilance, strong cross-border collaboration and coordination and sustained commitment to strengthening Customs’ role in combating drug trafficking was underscored by panellists and council delegates.
The panel discussion was moderated by the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), with participants including the chairman of the Indian Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, the INTERPOL assistant director and Benin’s special prosecutor.