KARACHI: The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in an effort to increase scrutiny over the security of air cargo consignments has inaugurated 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 curb the illicit trade.
Addressing 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 (ANF) 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 improving 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.
