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SMUGGLING VIA LITHUANIAN EU EXTERNAL BORDER
CURRENT SITUATION, TRENDS,
COUNTERACTIONS
Brussels
2013-04-23
Outline of the presentation
• Threats of cigarette smuggling
• Results of the fight against smuggling • Are there any side effects of the efficient fight against cigarette smuggling?
• How do we deal with the threats
• How to enhance cooperation at the EU Eastern Borders
• Ideas for further improvement, counteractions
Counterfeit cigarettes from
China From the Russian
Federation
From Kaliningrad Region
Smuggling and illegal transportation routes
Reduced quantities of seized cigarettes “Jin
Ling“
From Republic of Belarus
Increased number of seized cigarettes
produced in Belorussia
Price differences between the EU and third countries is the accelerator of smuggling
Cigarette smuggling is among the most lucrative types of smuggling. Having acquired legitimately manufactured tobacco products in the third countries (predominantly Belarus and Russia) and having illegally sold them on the EU market generated profits reach up to 1 000 % .
Results of the fight against smuggling
• Cigarettes seized by Lithuanian Customs: - 211 million cigarettes seized in 2010 - 112 million cigarettes seized in 2011 - 168 million cigarettes seized in 2012 • 2 large scale organized criminal groups were detected and arrested
in 2011 by the Customs Criminal Service; • 70 tons of raw tobacco seized in 2011
6
• 12 special operations conducted
• 9 pretrial investigations commenced in Lithuanian, 3 pretrial investigations commenced in other countries (Belarus, Germany and Poland)
• ~ 90 000 000 pieces of smuggled cigarettes (Jin Ling, Viceroy, Imperial Classic) seized
• 50 persons of the said criminal group have been prosecuted for cigarette smuggling and possession of the latter in Lithuania, Poland and Germany
• 8 customs officers are officially suspected of bribery
• Investigations in Lithuania, Poland and Germany were coordinated by OLAF
Example
In 2009-2011 Customs Criminal Service conducted a covert
investigation on cigarette smuggling from the third countries
to the customs territory of the European Union.
Side effects of the efficiency • Effects of the investments into the fight against cigarette
smuggling: - the fight becomes more efficient - more cigarettes are seized - more investigations are initiated - spending increases at the national level • Seized cigarettes are different from other types of seized
goods, cigarettes have to be destroyed • More seized cigarettes = more spending for customs
(transportation, warehousing, destruction, overtime pay) • 695.088 euro is the annual spending of Lithuanian Customs
for maintenance of the “F type” warehouse
To be deployed
in 2013
Since January, 2012
Since July, 2012
To be deployed
in 2013
CUSTOMS OFFICER LAN
SERVER (BLACK LIST)
CUSTOMS OFFICER
COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES
AT NATIONAL LEVEL. JOINT CRIMINAL
INTELLIGENCE AND RISK ANALYSIS
Border Guards Customs
Police
COMMONLY SHARED: national data basis;
electronic tools for risk analysis,
early warning and identification
of concrete targets; daily incident reports
Financial Crime
Investigation
Service
A Permanent Task Force of the National Law Enforcement Authorities
under the coordination of the Governmental Commission
Customs is the coordinating Authority in fight against Illegal distribution and smuggling of excise goods
Regional Joint Customs operations VIA BALTICA
is a part of the development of cooperation between customs services of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland in the fight against smuggling of tobacco products
Baltic Sea Task Force
on organised crime a platform for facilitating cooperation of Law Enforcement agencies fighting organised crime in the Baltic Sea Region (including Russia, EUROPOL, Commission) Interlinked Numberplates recognition
systems of Baltic states customs (2013) common database of vehicles number plates and container codes, possibility to trigger the alarm independent of where the border (external or internal) is being crossed and to receive InfoAlerts on on-line basis
E67
COOPERATION AT EU AND INTERNATIONAL LEVEL
OTHER LA AUTHORITIES CUSTOMS
WCO
Customs
LOs
Police,
Immigration
LOs
CCWP
DG TAXUD
DG HOME
DG HOME
Finalizing remarks
• Main factors contributing to the efficiency of the fight against smuggling: - human resources - equipment - IT solutions (software & hardware) - national, regional and international cooperation - financial resources • There are two different types of the customs activities in the fight
against smuggling: - customs controls at the borders and inside the territory - investigations, surveillances, undercover operations
• To increase the efficiency of the fight against smuggling customs administration needs:
-to increase the number of equipment, regularly update the equipment and IT; -to enhance customs cooperation with EU Member States and third countries; -to increase the number and capacity of staff, to train and motivate the staff, to increase resistance to corruption; -to ensure sufficient funding for the increasing administration costs.
Ideas for further improvement,
counteractions
• Specialized funding program dedicated for acquisition of customs control equipment (also sharing maintenance costs), which would grant the funding based on EU-wide equipment gap analysis and threat assessment
• Specially allocated financing of campaigns dedicated to raise social awareness and intolerance to contraband and usage of smuggled goods
Thank you for your attention
Vygantas Paigozinas
Deputy Director General
Customs Department under the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Lithuania
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