BANGKOK: Thailand joined the Global Container Control Program, an initiative aimed at minimizing the exploitation of maritime containers for the illicit trafficking of drugs and other transnational organized crime activities.
The Program was launched by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization in 2004.
“The cooperation between the Thai Customs Department and the UNODC will considerably improve the control of the containerized trade supply chain by enhancing detection of illicit activities and seizure of illegal goods,” Paisal Chuenjit, deputy director general of the Thai Customs Department, said at the agreement- signing ceremony here.
Over 500 million sea containers transfer 90 percent of world cargo across the globe every year with over half of these containers originating from, in transit through or destined for the countries of Southeast Asia.
Traffickers exploit the sheer volume of this trade to conceal and transport illicit goods in the hope that they will evade detection, according to the UNODC.
“In Thailand, there is a vision to have a world class Customs Department, to promote economic development but at the same time to protect society. It is a vision for a strong and safe Thailand and a vision shared by us at UNODC,” said Jeremy Douglas, UNODC Regional Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
“But like all shared visions, we must take shared responsibility for its achievement and work together on common goals and against common threats if we are to succeed,” he added.
The Global Container Control Program operates through the establishment of specialized Port Control Units (PCUs) securing the global supply chain.
In the first 10 years of operation, PCUs established by the Program have seized over 95 metric tons of cocaine, 2.9 metric tons of heroins, 60 metric tons of cannabis and 1,200 metric tons of precursor chemicals used to manufacture both illicit drugs and explosives, UNODC figures showed.
