Hong Kong Customs and the World Customs Organization (WCO) Asia/Pacific Vice-Chair (Australian Customs and Border Protection Service) co-hosted the WCO Asia/Pacific Regional High-level Seminar on Customs Anti-drug Strategy between December 17 and 19 in Hong Kong.
"The global drug problem is still serious. Drug enforcement administrations need to continue their concerted efforts in the fight against drug crimes. The proposed strategy of Hong Kong Customs has addressed the current problem of transnational drug smuggling activities and promotes the pragmatic actions against drug trafficking," said the Director of WCO Compliance and Facilitation, Mr Zhu Gaozhang, who made a keynote speech at the Seminar.
The three-day Seminar aimed to provide a platform for senior Customs officials in the region to have a high-level discussion on their strategy and experience sharing in combating drug offences, as well as to chart the way forward in developing a sustainable drug enforcement strategy across nations. Participating in the seminar were 27 representatives from 14 Customs administrations and organisations, comprising Australia; Brunei Darussalam; China; Indonesia; Korea; Macau, China; Malaysia; Mongolia; New Zealand; Sri Lanka; Thailand; the WCO Asia/Pacific Regional Office of Capacity Building; the WCO Asia/Pacific Regional Intelligence Liaison Office; and Hong Kong, China. Ten local Customs attachés also attended the seminar as observers.
During the Seminar, participants shared their experience in anti-narcotic enforcement operations via presentations on the regional drug situation and enforcement achievements in the fight against drug trafficking. Participants also visited the Electronic Crime Investigation Centre, the Computer Forensic Laboratory and the Customs facilities in Hong Kong International Airport, where advanced technology and newly invented profiling systems of Hong Kong Customs were introduced.
The Seminar provided participants with ample opportunities for discussions and networking. At the end of the Seminar, participating Customs administrations committed to closer co-operation in anti-drug trafficking and agreed to put forward recommendations to the WCO with a view to formulating a sustainable anti-drug strategy.
Ends/Thursday, December 19 2013
