MINSK: Belarusian and Finnish customs officers have conducted a joint training on the prevention of attempts to smuggle narcotic substances across the border. The information is posted on the website of the State Customs Committee of Belarus.
“A joint training on combating organized crime has been held within the framework of the cooperation between the customs services of Belarus and Finland for the first time,” the post on the website reads. The scenario included an attempt to smuggle drugs into Belarus by air. The customs officers of the two countries developed a plan of action. The Finnish customs authorities informed Belarusian colleagues about a potential drug trafficker on a flight from Finland to Belarus. The information was provided two hours before his expected arrival at Minsk National Airport.
After the landing of the aircraft, the officers followed the trafficker until he met with other members of the criminal group. All involved in the crime were captured at a parking lot of a shopping mall in Minsk. The Belarusian customs authorities make a continuous and targeted effort to cut drug smuggling channels crossing the customs border of the Eurasian Economic Union.
Due to its cross-border nature, trafficking in narcotic substances cannot be effectively eradicated without joint efforts by the customs agencies and other law-enforcement authorities of the countries.
