Tough anti-smuggling legislation (1)

There is an adequate legislative support for the Customs administrations and regional Customs departments to combat different types of smuggling activities. The maximum penalty for conviction on indictment of the most serious smuggling offences must be life imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

Intelligence-led Customs operations (2)

An Intelligence Bureau is established to strengthen intelligence collection and analysis.

Increased enforcement operations (3)

Special task forces are set up by the Customs departments and the Police Forces to curb smuggling.

The Intellectual Property Investigation Bureau has also been strengthened to increase its law enforcement capabilities against infringement of intellectual property rights.

Introduction of High-tech equipment for anti-smuggling purposes (4)

To strengthen cargo examination and enhance the efficiency of Customs clearance, the Customs departments use the mobile X-ray scanning systems and Vehicle X-ray Inspection Systems to enhance contraband detection capacity.

Enhanced co-operation with the tobacco and pharmaceutical and copyright industries (5)

Customs co-operates closely with the industries in the fight against illicit tobacco and pirated goods.

Increased cooperation between federal and regional Customs authorities (6)

There must be established liaison between federal and regionalCustoms authorities to share information and intelligence. This liaison provides a framework for both administrations to cooperate in the fight against smuggling and illicit trafficking of dangerous drugs, the protection of intellectual property rights, and the exchange of enforcement experience and training.

Anti-Narcotics Operations (7)

The Customs authorities are entrusted to combat all drug smuggling activities. The Customs officers play an important role in drug detection by carrying out Customs clearance and control of incoming and outgoing passengers, cargoes, postal articles and means of conveyance at the ports of entry. For increasing the efficiency of drug detection and Customs clearance, the Customs drug detector dogs are used to assist Customs officers at various control points.

Customs officers must conduct surveillance on drug trafficking activities for planning enforcement actions and provide intelligence for the frontline officers to take enforcement actions at the control points.

Exercise 8. Summarize the main points of Text 2 in writing.  

Exercise 9. Read the text below to answer the questions:

1. Why do you think Customs officers should use specially trained dogs?

2. What do the sniffer dogs’ duties include?

3. How are sniffer dogs trained?

4. How much time do experienced sniffer dogs need to check vehicles and passengers’ baggage?

5. How long are the dogs in service before their retirement?

 

Text 3

Drug Detection Dogs

To prevent the traffic of smuggling Customs officers should more often use specially trained dogs and new sophisticated equipment.

The sniffer dogs do not just have to search for drugs. Their duties also include detaining wrongdoers, resisting their attacks, and convoying and guarding detained persons. For this reason, larger breeds, such as German shepherds, Rottweilers, Giant Schnauzers and Labradors are preferred.

Temperament, working qualities, ancestry and health are also taken into account. Female dogs are preferred because their behavior is not as hormone-orientated as it is among males.

Sniffer dogs are trained in accordance with their natural needs. Games and treats are used to improve the dogs’ sense of smell. Training methods depend on the dogs’ temperaments. Dogs, like people, may be cholerics or phlegmatics.

The training procedure usually begins when the dog is 1.5 years-old. The dogs are not only trained to sniff out certain smells, but also give special signals, showing the specialist where the source of smell is. Each dog passes an exam and receives a certificate.

Drug detection dogs have unique training experience and specialists working with them try not to show off their work. Experienced sniffer dogs need around two minutes to sniff out a passenger car and seven minutes to check a lorry. The dogs are in service for eight years before their retirement, when they are cared for by dog specialists.

Exercise 10. Read Text 4 to match left and right.

1) to discourage illicit drug use	a) охранять, контролировать (свою) «территорию»
2) to enforce domestic laws	b) предотвращать поставки наркотиков
3) to prevent supplies of illicit drugs	c) действовать независимо, самостоятельно
4) to intercept shipments	d) препятствовать незаконному использованию наркотиков
5) to act independently	e) проводиться местными агентами
6) to guard ‘turf’	f) применять местные законы
7) to be conducted by local agents	g) перехватывать партии наркотиков

 

Text 4