illicit-trade-wco-2013

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20 Years of Dedication towards Conservation: Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Branch of Sri Lanka Customs 18 . during the attempt to smuggle them out of the country. BCNP uses self-developed risk profiles, databases and identification manuals as resource materials when conducting investigations. It is proposed to set up a mini-laboratory to conduct essential analysis. BCNP’s achievement towards environmental protection has been recognised on many occasions, including receiving an Environment Success Story award. The founder of the BPU, Mr. R.S. Gunasekara, who is presently the head of the BCNP, received the President’s Environmental Award – 2004 for outstanding contribution to the environmental sector. Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Branch of Sri Lanka Customs Photo courtesy of Sri Lanka Customs The Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Branch of Sri Lanka Customs commemorated its 20 th anniversary on 17 July 2013. It is the world’s first specialised office within a Customs administration with the specific task of safeguarding the environmental and cultural heritage (BPU) in 1993, which is now recognised as the Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Branch (BCNP), functioning under the Enforcement Cluster of Sri Lanka Customs. The legislative power to act on trans-boundary environmental and archaeological crimes was provided to the of a country. BCNP through the provisions of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235) No. 17 of Sri Lanka is recognised as a Biodiversity 1869, as amended. Hotspot. The rich archaeological and cultural heritage of Sri Lanka, dating back to 2,500 years ago, is now threatened severely by trafficking. It is a national, as well as a global, responsibility of Sri Lanka to take adequate steps towards conserving its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage. While it rendered expert assistance to other States' agencies in conducting investigations related to wildlife crime, BCNP was involved in many seizures including sandalwood, sea horses, endangered plants, CITES-listed species and pangolin scales, etc. In addition, numerous artefacts which Against this backdrop, Sri Lanka Customs took the initiative to establish a specialised unit called the Biodiversity Protection Unit are of archaeological and cultural importance, such as ancient coins, pottery, statues, cloths and manuscripts, were seized The BCNP organised a forum for gap analysis, comprising the Customs, Forest, Wildlife, Quarantine, Fisheries and Archaeology Agencies etc. to discuss issues arising at the time of import and export of biodiverse and archaeologically important articles. As a result, important decisions were made to streamline existing legal gaps to effectively combat trans-boundary wildlife and archaeological crimes. In addition, the BCNP conducts officer training, research, publication and raises public awareness to prevent environmental crimes and facilitate legitimate trading. Furthermore, the BCNP maintains a substantial repository of artefacts comprised of wildlife products and archaeologically important articles seized over the past 20 years. Some of those specimens are not even available in the National Museum of Sri Lanka. The unique collection of confiscated items will be put on public display in the Customs Museum which is scheduled to be opened shortly. 18 Information provided by Sri Lanka Customs. 56
ENVIRONMENT Red sandalwood concealed in carpets Photos courtesy of United Kingdom Border Force ILLEGAL LOGGING AND ILLEGAL TRADE IN TIMBER It is widely accepted that forests are under severe pressure from logging and illegal trade in timber, mostly driven by strong demand from developed countries and emerging economies. The illegal timber trade may take many forms, such as violations of CITES, attempted bribery, duty or tax evasion, exports in violation of licensing, and/or the production of fraudulent documents both in exporting and importing countries. There have been some reports indicating the involvement of trans-national organised criminal groups with sophisticated methods operating on an industrial scale, widespread corruption, as well as semi-legitimate large companies involved in unethical activities. The illegal logging and timber trade not only damage the environment, but also result in reduced profitability for the legal trade, loss of government revenue and foreign income. Illegal logging operations have also, in some cases, involved violence and threats against indigenous people. Deforestation also threatens many endangered species, such as great apes. The majority of illegal logging takes place in the forests of the Amazon basin, Central Africa and Southeast Asia. Primary importers of illegal logs or wood products are alleged to be China, Japan, the EU and the USA. There is no international convention controlling the trade in timber, although some timber species fall under the CITES Convention. However, some countries (e.g. US Lacey Act) and the European Union (i.e. EU Timber Regulation) have taken a number of unilateral measures to reduce illegal logging and exclude illegal timber products from their markets. Customs across the globe reported significant seizures of timber. In Asia mainly red sandalwood (CITES Appendix II) was seized. In June during a transnational controlled delivery operation involving Customs in China, Hong Kong,China and India, two target containers loaded with seven tonnes of red sandalwood were seized in Xiamen, China. A further 19 tonnes of the logs were recovered in the subsequent investigation by China Customs. Between October and November 2013, Singapore Customs worked together with the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority and conducted a series of operations resulting in the seizure of three containers of 45 tonnes of red sandalwood. The consignments were transiting through Singapore from India and were falsely declared as “hot lime pickles” and “casting wheels”. India Customs managed to intercept four containers with 132 tonnes of red sandalwood before they could be smuggled out of the country in October 2013. An attempt to smuggle 1,055 kg of red sandalwood, concealed in the false bottom of a truck, from India to China was foiled by Customs and police in Nepal. In the Port of Jebel Ali, UAE, Dubai Customs detected several containers with red sandalwood en route from India to the Far East. In 2013 Mexico Customs seized 479 tonnes of protected rosewood in seaports across the country. The Port Control Unit in the Port of Manzanillo, 57 ILLICIT TRADE REPORT 2013
Page 1:
Illicit Trade Report 2013
Page 5 and 6:
FOREWORD The 2013 edition of the WC
Page 7 and 8: INTRODUCTION part. Therefore, while
Page 9: INTRODUCTION For Customs administra
Page 12 and 13: end, all amounts of tablets were co
Page 14 and 15: Table 4. Number of seizures by drug
Page 16 and 17: Chart 1. Top 10 reporting countries
Page 18 and 19: Panama Customs seized 200 kg of coc
Page 20 and 21: 60 kg of cocaine were discovered in
Page 22 and 23: 30 kg of cannabis resin, concealed
Page 24 and 25: Fresh khat, transported in a passen
Page 26 and 27: 63 kg of amphetamine, concealed in
Page 28 and 29: 6.3 kg of amphetamine and 0.895 kg
Page 30 and 31: Table 18. Captagon: number of seizu
Page 32 and 33: 2 kg of methamphetamine, concealed
Page 34 and 35: Points (NCPs), sending them a daily
Page 36 and 37: Official inauguration of the WCO Re
Page 38 and 39: PROJECT AIRCOP AND RELATED DEVELOPM
Page 40: understanding that optimum results
Page 44 and 45: Customs administrations play an ess
Page 46 and 47: The added-value demonstrated in thi
Page 48 and 49: ILLEGAL TRADE IN WILDLIFE The Conve
Page 50 and 51: Traditional Asian medicine containi
Page 52 and 53: Ivory in passenger’s luggage seiz
Page 54 and 55: from Southern and Eastern Africa to
Page 56 and 57: Smuggling Members in Asia reported
Page 60 and 61: Panama, established under the UNODC
Page 63 and 64: Machinery to manufacture counterfei
Page 65 and 66: IPR Table 1. Top 15 countries by qu
Page 67 and 68: IPR Chart 2. Top counterfeit brands
Page 69 and 70: IPR These figures support the resul
Page 71 and 72: IPR Typical way of packaging counte
Page 73 and 74: IPR Electric appliances intercepted
Page 75: IPR APPENDIX. UNIT CONVERSION RULES
Page 78 and 79: Seizure of 240,000 cigarettes hidde
Page 80 and 81: When turning to figures for raw tob
Page 82 and 83: It is interesting to note an increa
Page 84 and 85: Counterfeit cigarettes Counterfeit
Page 86 and 87: It has been pointed out that in som
Page 88 and 89: Map 1. Countries participating at t
Page 90 and 91: Project Crocodile Project Crocodile
Page 92 and 93: Table 9. Survey response results No
Page 94 and 95: number of seizures with a total of
Page 96 and 97: investigations, as well as improve
Page 98 and 99: 80,000 Canadian dollars concealed i
Page 100 and 101: Russia. In many countries fireworks
Page 102 and 103: Bow with arrows Photo courtesy of C
Page 104 and 105: Concealed MK2 style hand grenades P
Page 106 and 107: INDUSTRIAL EXPLOSIVES, THEIR PARTS
Page 108:
In a special action, the WCO teamed
Page 111 and 112:
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ASEAN-WEN BCN
Page 113 and 114:
NOTES 111 ILLICIT TRADE REPORT 2013
Page 116:
Publisher World Customs Organizatio
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