Screening to secure air cargo: UNODC inaugurates control unit in Karachi

Initiative will encourage better collaboration among national agencies to ensure security of air consignments

KARACHI: In an effort to increase scrutiny over the security of air cargo consignments, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Pakistan marked on Monday the inauguration of the Karachi Air Cargo Control Unit (ACCU).

This new multi-agency initiative is a platform that will encourage better collaboration among all agencies responsible for the security of air consignments, be it in the scope of passengers and airliners safety or curbing illicit trade, stated a press statement issued on Monday.

During the inauguration ceremony, UNODC representative Cesar Guedes acknowledged the commitment of all contributing stakeholders such as the Civil Aviation Authority, Customs and the Anti-Narcotics Force, and expressed appreciation towards the growing team spirit among them.



"I aspire that your joint efforts in ACCU will protect and empower the international trade and at the same time contribute to improve regional and global security," said Guedes, addressing the senior officials attending the ceremony.

The new unit, ACCU, comes under the UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme. The programme is now running in 45 countries around the globe and its objective is to minimise the exploitation of legitimate trade as a cover for trafficking illegal commodities such as narcotics, precursors, arms and ammunition and endangered wildlife species.