Bangladesh: UNODC’s PCCP equips customs officers to better respond to new and emerging air cargo threats

Dhaka, Bangladesh/12 November 2025: Illicit commodities, including narcotics and other forms of contraband, are increasingly trafficked via air cargo, taking advantage of weakness in surveillance and concealment techniques. To stay ahead of traffickers, law enforcement agencies must rely on specialized expertise, intelligence-driven targeting, and practical tools that enable officers to detect, intercept, and prevent high-risk shipments while safeguarding legitimate trade.

In this direction, the UNODC Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP) rolled out a condensed air cargo interdiction training for 12 customs officers at the Air Control Unit (ACU) in Dhaka. The training centered on risk-based targeting and effective inspections of air cargo, aimed at enabling officials to move beyond random inspections and instead rely on intelligence, data quality, and cross-agency cooperation to flag high-risk shipments.

Officers gained a deeper understanding of global illicit trade patterns, concealment tactics, and emerging smuggling methods. Participants also received practical instructions on concealment detection, document and cargo analysis, and the use of screening and inspection tools. By combining theoretical knowledge with hands-on exercises, they improved operational readiness and confidence in intercepting dangerous shipments, essential for successful seizures.

As a fast-track capacity-building initiative, condensed PCCP training allows units to respond promptly to emerging threats, updating officers on new smuggling methods, concealment strategies, and shifting trade patterns. 

This activity contributed to SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/

(Supported by the US Government)