World Customs Organization and Pakistan Customs Kick-Off the Pakistan Customs Enforcement Curriculum Project

Karachi: May 20, 2024 - The World Customs Organization (WCO) Secretariat launched the "Customs Enforcement Curriculum for Pakistan" (CECPAK) Project to enhance Pakistan Customs' security and enforcement capabilities over the next two years. Since 2020, Pakistan Customs has received support from the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. Department of State, which funds WCO Secretariat activities under the Customs Enforcement Curriculum for Assistant Collectors (CECAC) and CECPAK Projects. Mr. Jimmy R. Mauldin, Acting Consul General of the U.S. Consulate General in Karachi, emphasized INL's commitment to modernizing Pakistan Customs.

Building on the success of phases one and two of CECAC Project, CECPAK aims to train the next generation of Pakistan Customs officers. This includes Assistant Collectors, middle managers, front-line officers, and investigators, including front-line mentoring.

The kick-off ceremony, held at the Pakistan Customs Academy in Karachi, was officially opened by Director Ms. Nawabzadi Aliya Khanji, the WCO Secretariat, and Acting Consul General Jimmy Mauldin with a review of the project's activities and past achievements. The first two-week CECPAK training course started immediately after the kick-off ceremony, with a focus on evidence collection, seizures, and investigation processes, with WCO experts and Pakistan Customs personnel.

Like its predecessor, the CECPAK Project is conducted by the WCO Secretariat under the Customs Operational Practices for Enforcement and Seizures (COPES) Programme. This new Project aims to implement best practices for seizing goods and collecting evidence, ensuring effective border security and prosecutions. It is a collaboration between the WCO, INL, and the Pakistan Customs Service.