Customs’ everyday operations: Detection, risks and challenges
In Spain, the Customs and Excise administration is a department located within the structure of the Tax Agency (AEAT). One of the main duties of the Spanish Customs is to fight against smuggling. This competence is carried out in the Customs Department by Law Enforcement and the Coast Guard Agency, known as the Servicio de Vigilancia Aduanera (SVA).
We can define smuggling as the entry of goods, objects and substances across the borders without complying with customs rules and procedures in the EU/Spain customs territory. Also, we consider smuggling as the transportation and entrance of illicit goods and substances, as drugs, that by their own nature and composition we cannot declare at the border.
As is known, Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) involved in drugs and narcotics have the highest level of innovation and development in new systems/outcomes to carry out their illegal activities and avoid detection and seizure by Customs and police officers.
The maritime domain and port area are the scope of the SMAUG project, and the most commonly used forms of smuggling and narcotrafficking are:
- Drop-Off It consists of contaminating/recruiting part or all of the crew of a merchant vessel on a normal trade route. This crew receives the drug in small or medium quantities at the origin, hiding and concealing the drug in a container, crew cabin or any space well-known by the crew and leaves it along the route using buoys and a positioning device so that it can be collected by a smaller vessel from the OCG in Europe.
- Parasitic Cargo Illicit cargo is attached to the submerged hulls of merchant vessels at origin ports using magnets and mooring ropes. This cargo is retrieved at the destination ports using smaller boats and divers.
- Narco-submarines or narco-submersibles They are specifically built in illegal shipyards at their point of origin and loaded with large quantities of narcotics, crossing the ocean to deliver their cargo to RHIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) or smaller vessels belonging to the receiving OCG within the territorial waters of the destination country. Although those currently detected are only semi-submersibles, with part of the vessel above water, there are reports that OCG are attempting to acquire true submarines.
These three types of smuggling share a common characteristic: a low risk of cargo loss because they are difficult to detect. SMAUG establishes the tools to improve the detection of these operations, increasing European port, maritime, and customs security and reducing the entry of illicit goods, including the most harmful to our society: drugs.
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