In-depth look at ISACS 05.60Border controls and law enforcement cooperation
United Nations framework
UN Programme of Action
All UN Member States commit themselves
“to establish, where appropriate, subregional or regional mechanisms, in particular trans- border customs cooperation and networks for information-sharing among law enforcement, border and customs control agencies, with a view to preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons across borders”
(Section II, Paragraph 27).
United Nations framework
UN Firearms Protocol
Each State Party
“shall take appropriate measures: […] To increase the effectiveness of import, export and transit controls, including, where appropriate, border controls, and of police and customs transborder cooperation”
(Article 11).
ISACS 05.60Border Controls & Law Enforcement Cooperation
ObjectiveHelp prevent the illicit cross-border movement of SALW
Desired Outcomes States conduct border
assessments States conduct targeted border
controls based on risk assessments
Border control agencies cooperate domestically and across the border
Where possible, integrated border management is implemented
Available training & technical assistance are being exploited
States are fully utilizing INTERPOL & WCO resources
Border assessment
A border assessment should be carried out, providing information on
The situation at official border crossing points• Roles & mandates of law enforcement
agencies• Infrastructure• Processes for cargo & passengers
The situation between border crossing points
An inventory and evaluation of border control agencies
The overall effectiveness of existing border controls
Existing needs in order to strengthen border controls
Border controls
Targeted border controls based on risk assessments• Carried out in accordance with
the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards
States should• establish an inter-agency joint
risk analysis unit
• require advance information on cargo and container shipments
• ensure that SALW are considered a high risk commodity
• share information on common concealment methods
Border controls
Customs• Premises• Equipment• SALW-specific controls
Border Guards• mobile patrols operating out
of a limited number of strategically located static observation posts
Civil Aviation Authorities• Cargo joint risk assessment
team with airport customs
Border controls
Maritime Authorities• International Convention for the Safety of
Life at Sea (SOLAS)
• International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS Code)
• Code of Practice on Security in Ports (IMO & ILO)
Immigration Authorities• Should have access to INTERPOL databases
(MIND & FIND)
• Machine-readable travel documents & Seafarers’ Identity Documents
• Identification papers for borderland communities
Intelligence Services• Intelligence from borderland communities &
related trafficking activities
Law Enforcement Cooperation
An Assessment should be carried out of• Intra-agency cooperation
• Inter-agency cooperation
• Cross-border cooperation
With the goal of establishing “working-level cooperation” (domestic & cross-border)
State agencies operating at the border should have access to shared databases• INTERPOL – iARMS (through 1-24/7
on MIND and/or FIND)
• WCO – Customs enforcement Network (CEN)
Law Enforcement Cooperation
Cross-border Cooperation
Hot pursuit• Continued pursuit across the border
and into the territory of a neighbouring State
Cross-border observation• Continued observation of trafficking
suspect on the territory of a neighbouring State
Controlled deliveries• Within the framework of criminal
investigations
Join investigations
Data protection
Integrated Border Management
Domestic integration between government agencies within one State Single window processing
International integration between States (bilaterally, regionally and internationally) International Convention on the
Simplification and Harmonization of Customs procedures (Revised Kyoto Convention)
International Convention on the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System
International Convention on the Harmonization of Frontier Control of Goods
WCO resources
WCO recommendations on Firearms UN Firearms Protocol Insertion of Sub-headings into
National Statistical Nomenclatures
Customs Enforcement Network (CEN)
Database of (non-nominal) customs seizures and offences
Website containing alerts as well as information of use to customs services
Concealment Picture Database Communication network
Regional Intelligence Liaison Offices (RILO)
INTERPOL resources
Global, secure police communications
I-24/7 – should be consultative access beyond NCBs to border police, customs and immigration
Crime databases Illicit Arms Records and tracing
Management System (iARMS) Network databases:
• Fixed INTERPOL Network Database (FIND)
• Mobile INTERPOL Network Database (MIND)
INTERPOL resources
iARMSIllicit Arms Records and tracing Management System
Launched 31 December 2012 129 countries connected to database 725,000 records in database 31 countries have uploaded data 1,358 tracerequests submitted in
2014 By 33 states to 41 states 336 trace requests answered
iARMS is still taking off but will be invaluable resource once fully used by States
