Customs Port Control Unit begins operations today

by Kurulu Kariyakarawana

The new Customs Port Control Unit set up to combat the narcotics menace and illicit goods trafficking will commence operations from today, the sources said.

Having completed the second phase of a four-week training program on Friday, the selected group of 15 officials will commence operations at the new Port Control Unit at the Customs Headquarters in Fort.

The new Port Control Unit set up on May 19 under the supervision of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) experienced delays in commencing operations, until the regulations empowering the opening of the unit awaited approval of the competent legal officer of the Finance Ministry.

The Sunday Observer reliably learns that the draft regulations sent to the legal officer in January this year had not yet been approved, delaying the process of this unit and risking another potential instance of smuggling a container carrying narcotics into the country.

The Regulations for Advanced Sea Cargo Reporting is necessary to activate the Cargo Targeting System, which is a chief component of the Port Control Unit.