Intelligence Collection for Combating Environmental Crime

Transcription

1 Intelligence Collection for Combating Environmental Crime 1. Intelligence is needed for compliance and facilitation of cross border movements. Ninety percent of world's cargo is transported internationally and entry and exit of passengers are multiplied in recent years. This increase of movement of goods as well as passengers is not in direct relation to the number of customs inspectors conducting examinations. Customs services have had to rely on appropriate risk management based on enhanced intelligence to ensure compliance, and at the same time without impeding legal trade. Information and intelligence is elemental for risk assessment and management, as well as for monitoring and controlling cross border movements of environmentally sensitive commodities which has global impact and contributes much to environmental problems. 2. 'Intelligence' is merely around us The word 'intelligence' can usually suggest the clandestine or covert activities conducted by specialized units. However, there exists a simple fact that intelligence merely comes from information around everyone working in the same field. All information from which intelligence is derived is contained within an "information pool". Each enforcement area has its own information pool and information focus. As for monitoring and controlling trade in environmentally sensitive commodities, it is optimal to make use of all existing sources (institutions, tools and network, etc) to foster effective information flow channels. The following chart may reflect current sources and expected scenario for information flow within the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) Regional Enforcement Network (REN) and regional customs community in fight against environmental crime:

2 Information VS Intelligence Information: Any data, whether or not processed or analyzed, and documents, reports, and other communications in any format. Intelligence: A product, derived from the collection and processing of relevant information, which acts as a basis for user's decision making. 3. Intelligence could also 'improve' environment The following intelligence products are some kinds which may frequently be used in fight against illegal trade in environmentally sensitive commodities. Example after each definition is given. Not all intelligence types are included. a. Strategic Intelligence Assessment - predicting future threat and describing new threat Free trade zone will be established at borders of several countries. Relevant authorities may assess what threat this situation may bring to illegal trade in certain districts for policy making. b.tactical assessment - nature and level of non-compliant activity to identify medium-term issues Intelligence Unit take a wildlife smuggling situation assessment in a certain region or during a certain period of time for taking further actions or drawing attention from other competent authorities. c. Trend intelligence - detected patterns and changes in particular sectors or methods of non-compliance Increase in detections of hazardous wastes by vehicles through certain border areas, compared with similar reports from overseas agencies confirms that this smuggling method is on a rising trend. d. Profile intelligence - describing recognizable features of particular types on non-compliance to discover noncompliance (crime/case profile) and identity of the non-compliance (persons/target profile). Analysis of certain importers has identified that substantial prohibited ODS-based refrigerants are being falsely declared as certain non-restricted refrigerants from certain exporters to avoid importing or exporting documents. e.operational assessment - identifying lists of apparently non-compliant individuals or businesses. After analysis of cases and comparison with a wide range of other sources of data, 10 potential high risk traders of refrigerants have been identified. f. Case specific alert - containing enough answers to indicate that an operational response is required, while due to time-critical factors some key answers are missing. Certain ship on the way is identified to be used to smuggle wastes, but the information does not tell who is behind it or at which seaport it will occur. All relevant locations or agencies will be alerted.

3 4. Your contribution is critical Intelligence is not that mysterious. Useful information is just around for us to discover and disseminate. In return, the end-user of intelligence derived from such information, also reap benefit from the exchange of information. World Customs Organization, Regional Intelligence Liaison Office for Asia and the Pacific (WCO RILO A/P) & RILO National Contact Points in your country United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE), OzonAction Programme, Compliance Assistance Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (CAP ROAP) World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretariat Information and Intelligence products could be obtained from: Customs Enforcement Network (CEN) ENVIRONET RILO AP Monthly Circular Analysis Report Intelligence Alerts

4 UNEP DTIE OzonAction Programme, CAP ROAP MEA-REN Website UNEP DTIE Ozonaction Programme Website Database: Trade Name of Chemicals containing ODS Info Sheet ODS Licensing Facts and Figures: 'Sky Hole Patching' Project: an operation combating illegal trade in ODS and hazardous wastes coordinated jointly by RILO A/P and UNEP CAP in Asia and the Pacific region, had been carried out on basis of suspicious shipment notifications, cases and seizures report and intelligence analysis, which demonstrated the importance of intelligence and information exchange. (detailed figure, e.g. how many notifications, how many seizures and cases) Project initiated by China Customs and endorsed at the 11th WCO Regional Head of Administrations in 2006 Commenced on 1st Sept 2006 with the participation of 20 members and concluded on 31 October 2007 continued in the form of a routine operation after the conclusion From Sep 2006 to Mar 2010: 349 seizures were reported with 728,710 tons of ODS and 15,624,583kg of hazardous waste were seized Trans-Regional Cooperation with VROM starting from Jan 2009, 15 notifications received from VROM so far, 1 shipment from Netherland was sent back by India upon notification.

5 Operation Demeter: a global operation monitoring and cracking down on illegal shipment of hazardous wastes from Europe to Africa and Asia Pacific region, which was carried out by WCO Secretariat in 2009, in response to the environment year of the Customs community. 65 countries from Europe, Asia Pacific region and Africa participated in this operation. 516 messages have been exchanged (suspicious notification, feedback and seizures report) via CENcomm, resulted in 56 seizures of hazardous wastes. The 56 seizures were reported by 11 participating countries exceeding 36,700,000 KG and 1800 pieces. Wastes seized include e-wastes, end of life vehicles, mixed paper/plastic, metal scrap, household wastes. Repartition in departure countries and destination countries, consignors and consignees, concealment and cover load, routs, etc. has been also analyzed according to seizure information for further inspection and control. Legend: Examples falling into Strategic Intelligence category Examples falling into Tactical Intelligence category Examples falling into Operational Intelligence category Information flow with other parties that do not directly contribute to the information pool Consolidated information flow in Customs community Information flow in established ozone-customs regional enforcement network Expected information flow by using existing tools and approaches This fact sheet has beens developed by the United Nations Environment Programme, Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (UNEP DTIE) OzonAction, Compliance Assistance Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific region (CAP ROAP), in collaboration with WCO Secretariat and RILO for Asia and the Pacific.