Phnom Penh, Cambodia – December 2024.
With rising numbers in global trade, Air Cargo Control Units (ACCUs) remain essential to effectively combat transnational organized crime. The ACCU in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, composed of customs officers, strongly supported by the Australian Border Force (ABF) and led by the Cambodian General Directorate of Customs and Excise (GDCE), is no exception: In one of the fastest growing economies in Southeast Asia and the resulting rising volume of air travel and cargo, the unit successfully disrupts illicit flows of containers, cargo and mail and plays a key role in the fight against criminal networks.
The ACCU is part of over 180 units at ports, airports and land borders of the Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP), a recent merger of the Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP) and the Container Control Programme (CCP). PCCP provides advanced trainings to customs and law enforcement officers, establishing national inter-agency units and supporting them in the identification and interception of high-risk passengers as well as in seizing high-risk cargo and postal mail. The ACCU Phnom Penh, in addition to the Port Control Unit (PCU) in Sihanoukville, has greatly benefitted from activities organized and conducted by the PCCP in past years.
Between 16 and 20 December 2024, representatives of the Programme connected with counterparts and partners in Cambodia. The mission started with the participation in the Steering Committee Meeting of the ACCU, which served as a critical platform to assess the progress, challenges and the future direction of the unit. To promote a broader exchange of experiences and perspectives, counterparts of the PCU Sihanoukville joined the meeting. After an overview of the AIRCOP/CCP merger and its implications and opportunities, the counterparts further exchanged views on related topics such as training and equipment needs, private sector cooperation and future capacity building components on risk management. Following the Steering Committee Meeting, participants discussed the foreseen plans for the ACCU with Kun Nhem, Director General of the GDCE, accompanied by his Deputy Director General and the Assistant Director for International Cooperation, alongside the ABF in the National Customs House.
From 18 to 20 December, under the sub-project “Strengthening Cargo Borders in the Mekong Region”, a Regional Training on Tobacco Shipment Risk Assessment was organized at the Cambodian National Customs School, which recently became the Asia Pacific Regional Training Centreof the World Customs Organization (WCO). It is estimated that approximately 11% of the global tobacco trade is affected by illicit activities, resulting in evasions of tax duties, the funding of transnational organized crime, fostering corruption as well as harming intellectual property rights of the tobacco industry through the production of contraband products. With 15 participants from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam, the training aimed to build on pre-existing expertise of customs and law enforcement officers while fostering cooperation and facilitating knowledge exchange among them. Guided by trainers, the three-day training equipped the participants with advanced theoretical skills on the identification of risks in tobacco shipments. After an initial review of applicable regulations and laws, the programme included sessions on risk identification and management, developing strategies for effective communication, capacity building and the identification of training needs as well as discussions on gender equality and empowerment. The sessions were complemented by practical examples. Participants went over best practice strategies in risk management and a case study of a PCCP-supported unit at Almaty International Airport, Kazakhstan. Ultimately, the skills developed by the units pose a pivotal step to effectively combat illicit tobacco trade in the Mekong region.
Thanks to the European Union as a longstanding supporter, the PCCP through AIRCOP also receives additional funding through the EU’s Global Illicit Flows Programme, with Cambodia being the supported country in the region. The primary focus of the programme lies on establishing national inter-agency units at airports to identify and intercept high-risk passengers, as well as seize high-risk air cargo and postal mail. With ACCU Phnom Penh currently covering the latter two, an expansion of the unit’s mandate allows for a better collaboration between law enforcement authorities. In 2024 alone, the number of passengers travelling through Cambodia’s international airports increased by over 21% in comparison to 2023 alone, highlighting the need for a comprehensive strategy. After discussing these changes in detail with the GDCE during the mission, providing examples for other ACCUs where the mandates have been expanded with huge success, PCCP representatives held a meeting with the EU Delegation in Phnom Penh on 20 December to give an outlook on the upcoming plans. EU contributions play a key role in the success of PCCP-supported units through AIRCOP and the expansion of the ACCU’s responsibilities on high-risk passenger work will make a significant contribution to airport security in the country. The establishment of the unit will be formalized through the signing of a Letter of Agreement, building on a Memorandum of Understanding between the stakeholders involved. As next steps, an exchange visit to another merged unit and initial training activities for the ACCU are set to be organized by the end of 2025.
The Passenger and Cargo Control Programme is the result of a recent merger of two flagship UNODC Programmes, the Container Control Programme (CCP) and the Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP). The Programme has established, trained and equipped over 170 units and task forces in 86 countries.
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