Illegal Drugs (Import) (Hansard, 13 February 1992)

I have been asked to reply.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is the Department with the primary responsibility for combating the importation of illegal drugs into the United Kingdom. The Department is engaged in a number of initiatives both at home and on the international scene.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise chairs the mutual assistance group 1992 on customs co-operation within the European Community which is working towards greater co-operation and the strengthening of the external border of the Community. An important feature is the sharing of intelligence and arrangements are in hand to implement a computerised intelligence system—to be known as the customs information system—early in 1992. A new protocol to the Naples convention is also under discussion with the aim of improving co-operation between customs administrations in criminal matters covering such areas as cross border surveillance and controlled deliveries.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is also participating in plans for the new European drugs unit, which will help to co-ordinate the intelligence resources of law enforcement agencies across the European Community. The Department, with its wide experience in anti-smuggling work, will be fully represented in the new agency alongside the police.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, in conjunction with the Customs Co-operation Council, is taking a leading role in an international initiative to promote co-operation between customs authorities and international carriers. A major objective is to secure advance information about suspect persons or consignments, so as to enable customs to target its anti-drugs operations more effectively. Through the ratification of the 1988 Vienna convention on drugs, Customs and Excise is also engaged in developing international working arrangements under the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 1990 for the boarding of vessels in international waters and under the same legislation has also implemented, in July 1991, the arrangements for the seizure of cash suspected of being the proceeds from, or for use in, drug smuggling.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is also about to increase its capability in aerial surveillance and is co-operating in extended international surveillance exercises. It is extending its network of drugs liaison officers overseas and is actively pursuing its training programme for overseas customs and drugs law enforcement officials. The programme is targeted primarily at drug source and drug transit countries.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is also alive to the dangers of the illicit trade in the precursor chemicals used to manufacture drugs. The United Kingdom has been to the fore in encouraging the development of effective measures to counter this trade and we are currently working with our EC partners on a revised regulation to ensure consistent and effective action across the Community.

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On the domestic front Her Majesty's Customs and Excise is extending its use of memoranda of understanding with trade organisations in order to improve the flow of drugs information and to assist organisations to develop security arrangements. The Department is also entering into a new training programme in 1992 to assist flexible anti-smuggling teams—FASTS—to make use of advance intelligence and advance targeting of drugs suspects. The implementation of the review of anti-smuggling controls continues with the setting up of FASTs and co-operation between regional collections and their opposites in Europe through joint memoranda is being developed. In addition, research and development for enhanced scientific and technical aids continues to take place. On 30 January 1992, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced the allocation of assets seized from international drugs traffickers to anti-drugs work in the United Kingdom. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise received over £600,000, which will be used at operational level to assist in the fight against drug trafficking.