As the global number of air passengers is expected to double in the coming 20 years, the growing connectivity offered by airlines is prone to exploitation by high-risk passengers. Further, the demand for the fast delivery of high value, sensitive and perishable goods drives the expansion of the international air cargo industry. Today, airfreight accounts for 35% of world trade by value.
Greater passenger volumes and increasingly sophisticated concealment methods mean that countries and their law enforcement authorities may need additional support to enhance their technical and technological security capabilities. This support should encompass the ability to conduct comprehensive and efficient profiling, inspections of luggage, or body checks with minimal disruption to the operations of commercial airports. In addition, some countries may seek support in facilitating the secure exchange of sensitive information among law enforcement agencies operating in source, transit and destination countries.
PCCP aims to strengthen the capacities of international airports to target and intercept high-risk passengers as a contribution to the fight against illicit drugs and other illicit commodities (such as wildlife products or falsified medical products) and terrorism-related threats (such as arms or potential foreign terrorist fighters), as well as identify victims of trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.
To achieve this objective, PCCP establishes inter-agency task forces (police, customs, immigration, gendarmerie, etc.), called Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces (JAITF) at international airports. Once established, PCCP connects them to international law enforcement databases and communication networks (such as INTERPOL’s I-24/7 and WCO’s CENcomm system) to enable the transmission real-time operational information to other international airports aimed at intercepting high-risk passengers and illicit shipments. JAITFs are tasked with supporting law enforcement agencies in combatting the various manifestations of organized crime and terrorism at international airports. Among others, JAITFs provide a key contribution to profiling and inspections. PCCP also promotes intelligence and information sharing between services at national and international levels as well as an intelligence-led approach to countering trafficking and other types of threats.
PCCP is currently supporting 33 JAITFs in airports around the globe with mandates covering passengers, creating a network that constantly shares critical information about passenger movements and interceptions.
