Effective passenger and baggage control

    In dealing with any passenger, customs officers-in-charge should:

ESTABLISH REASONS FOR TRAVEL

Examine passport to ascertain previous and current journeys to drug production and suspect areas. If the passenger is a frequent traveler establish reasons for frequency of travel. Examine ticket to ascertain method of payment. Remember: late booked or cash tickets are often used by smugglers.

CHECK THAT THE PASSENGER HAS CORRECT

BAGGAGE CLAIM TAGS AND ASK THE BASIC QUESTIONS

- Is this all your baggage? Did you pack it yourself?

- Do you know what the baggage contains?

- Are you carrying any items for anyone else? Are you travelling alone?

- Do you know what the Customs allowances are?

EXERCISE PRACTICAL EXAMINATION

For passengers travelling on business: examine any documents in order to verify whether the passenger is engaged in legitimate business. Make sure that documents relate to up-to-date transactions.

For visitors or residents returning from holiday: look for gifts, clothing, souvenirs and the usual items you would normally expect to find with this type of passengers. These will link passengers to the baggage and reasons for travel. (Be suspicious of passengers arriving with only light baggage containing few, if any, articles of personal nature.)

For all passengers: always check baggage for concealments. Don’t overlook the commonplace. Carry out a Personal Search in case suspicion still exists.

The examination of baggage can be separated into two clearly defined

areas: the contents and the container.

Remove the contents carefully and systematically. Examine individual items as necessary during the process. Separate any items worthy of closer attention and place them out of the passenger’s reach. To facilitate the examination you should make full use of the equipment at your disposal. When using tools to examine the contents, exercise care to minimize damage.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

- Adopt a positive approach. You must believe that if there are goods concealed, you will find them.

- You are a representative of this department in the public eye. At all times act with courtesy and diplomacy.

- Do not be drawn into arguments. Stay calm however provoked.

- Do not hesitate to seek assistance or advice from colleagues.

Comprehension

Task 12. Make a glossary. Choose seven words to remember.

 

Task 13. Speak about:

 

1)the importance of establishing reasons for travel;

2)the peculiarities of practical examination;

3)the behavior guidelines during passenger control;

 

III. Language work

Vocabulary Practice

 

Task 14. Translate the followingdialogue and continue the conversation.

Сотрудник таможни 1: Добрый день. Ваш паспорт, пожалуйста. …

Вы не можете проходить по этому коридору. Этот коридор предназначен только для пассажиров, прибывающих из стран Евросоюза. Вы должны проходить либо через зеленый, либо через красный коридор. У вас есть товары, подлежащие декларированию?

Пассажир: Нет, ничего нет.

Сотрудник таможни 1: Тогда вы должны воспользоваться зеленым коридором, это в той стороне.

Сотрудник таможни 2: Добрый день. Я должен проверить ваш багаж. Поставьте ваш чемодан сюда и откройте его, пожалуйста. Вы сами все упаковывали?

Пассажир: Нет, мне помогала моя супруга(супруг) ….

Сотрудниктаможни 2: ….

Grammar practice

Task 15. Look through the texts of the unit and write down what a customs officer:

SHOULD DO	SHOULD NOT
- examine passport and ticket	- overlook the commonplace

Task 16. Answer the questions:

1. What is the most important thing in dealing with a passenger?

2. Why do customs officers examine a passenger’s passport and ticket?

3. What questions are supposed to be asked by the customs officer and why?

4. How can a passenger prove that he is engaged in legitimate business?

5. Why do passengers with light baggage make customs officers suspect them?

6. What should customs officers remember while searching the contents of a passenger’s baggage?

Task 17. Give an example of something that passengers …

1. have to do but dislike doing.

2. don`t have to do, but enjoy doing.

3. ought to do often, but only do occasionally.

4. should do less.

5. mustn`t do at the airport.

Task 18. a) Find words in the text formed from the following verbs and translate them into Russian:

 

verb	Participle II
to restrict	restricted / ограниченный
to prohibit
to indicate
to inform
to distribute
to present
to smuggle
to state
to conceal
to detain
to relate

 

 

b) Complete the sentences with the words from the box. You may have to use some words more than once:

1. The sale of alcohol is __________ to people over the age of 18.

2. The report is devoted to the problem of drug abuse and other _________ issues.

3. The Coast Guards were __________ of the illegal liquor bottles and cigarettes.

4. Smoking is strictly __________ on board the plane.

5. The Lists of __________ and __________ articles are __________ at the airport.

6. The hallmark of the gold ring wasn’t __________ in the declaration form.

7. The amount of __________ narcotics is constantly growing.

8. Two passengers` baggage was scanned and __________ the presence of various commercial goods.

9. The passport __________ by the traveler proved to be false.

10. Specially trained dogs were first used by the Customs to detect __________ coffee.

11. The officials found a handgun __________ in a giant ball of clay, inside of a computer.

Task 19. Read and translate the text.

The Schengen Area

In 1985 the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands signed the Schengen Agreement (Schengen being a place in Luxembourg) on the gradual abolition of checks at their common borders. In 1990 the Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement was signed. Its key points relate to measures designed to create a common area of security and justice.

Citizens can cross the internal borders of the implementing countries at any point without checks. A visitor's or business visa allows the holder to stay up to 90 days per six-month period. There is a special Schengen Information System (SIS), providing personal identity and other data throughout the Schengen area. It is concerned with measures to combat cross-border drugs-related crime, police cooperation and cooperation among Schengen states on judicial matters.

 

b) Make up 10 questions of all types to the text;

Grammar Practice

Task 20. Put the verbs in brackets in the correct Active or Passive form.

1. The first Russian Customs Statute (to hand) down in 1667.

2. A distinction (to make) between commercial and industrial free zones.

3. The passenger’s luggage (to check) by the customs officer now.

4. Quantitative restrictions or other forms of import control (to adopt) in many countries.

5. More detector dogs (to train) at the canine enforcement centers by the next year.

6. After unloading the cargo (to store) at the bonded warehouse awaiting release from customs control.

7. The General Agreement on Tariff and Trade (to sign) in Geneva in 1947.

8. Brokers (to require) to maintain strict confidence about business and transaction.

9. An interesting case (to investigate) by the customs investigation union now.

Task 21. Reorder the words in the right way to make sentences.

1. liquids and gels, is, the quantity of, For security reasons, in your hand baggage, strictly, limited.

2. to import, may, items, criminal, you, If, charges, be liable to, attempt, you, prohibited.

3. biometric, through, matched, The photos, recognition, being, technology, are, facial.

4. or, Scotland, certificate, a, England, of, a weapon, Wales, The holder, import, British, into, firearm, may.

5. items, the UK, about, has, strict, with, or, are, which, prohibited, regulations, The UK, restricted, very, to take, you, into.

Task 22. a) Read and translate the story.

    Sam Lewis was a customs officer. He used to work in a small border town. The road was usually very quiet and there were not many travelers. It was not a very interesting job, but Sam liked an easy life.

 About once a week he used to meet an old man. His name was Draper. He always used to arrive at the border early in the morning in a big truck. The truck was always empty. After a while Sam became suspicious. He often used to search the truck, but never found anything. One day he asked Draper about his job. Draper laughed and said: ”I am a smuggler”.

Last year Sam retired. He spent his savings on an expensive holiday. He flew to Bermuda, and stayed in a luxury hotel. One day he was sitting by the pool and saw Draper drinking champagne. Sam walked over to him.

Sam: Hello, there!

Draper: Hi!

Sam: Remember me?

Draper: Yes … Of course, I do. You are a customs officer.

Sam: I used to be, but I’m not anymore. I retired last month. I often 

used to search your truck…

Draper: …but you never found anything!

Sam:  No, I didn’t. Can I ask you something?

Draper: Of course you can.

Sam:  Were you a smuggler?

Draper: Sure I was.

Sam:   But … the truck was always empty. What were you smuggling?

Draper: Trucks.

b) Put the dialogue into Reported speech.

c) Study the model. Find examples in the text above. Make five sentences speaking about the past and the present.

Model: Customs officers used to wear blue uniform, but now it is green.

In the past customs officers didn’t use to screen the baggage.

Task 23. a) Make a written translation of the text and think about the title for it.

    Belgian Customs anti-drugs team based at Brussels Airport seized 180 ivory statues in the luggage carried by a male passenger arriving from Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo).

    Alerted by the weight of the luggage that was declared as containing wooden craft, the team stopped the passenger and started checking his luggage. The wooden statue appeared to be of very crude craftsmanship and it was decided to X-ray it. The X-ray revealed that the statue contained hundreds of small ivory statues.

    The passenger declared that he was not aware of deception and that he was transporting the wooden statue for a friend who lived in Belgium. While checking the name of the alleged recipient, the team discovered that this person used the same method to smuggle ivory products in the past and was currently being prosecuted for smuggling ivory products.

Task 24. Match right and left.

 

1. Go to the red channel…               a) what you have.

2. You must remove                         b) on the table in the middle of the hall.

your sunglasses…                         c) and then go through the Customs.

3. Go to the green channel…            d) if you have something to declare.

4. You should fill in your declaration e) your goods may be seized.

first…              

5. Make sure you…                         f) if you have nothing to declare.

6. Let me see…                               g) if you’re wearing them.

7. You can find forms…                  h) have your travel documents ready.

8. If you break the rules…  

 

Task 25. Make a written translation of the text into English.

 

Сломали трафик

Наркодиллеры из стран Балтики, Испании и даже Северной Африки пытались наводнить Россию большим количеством популярного курительного наркотика — гашиша. Официальный представитель МИД сообщила, что российские полицейские задержали целый международный наркосиндикат — более четырех десятков преступников. При этом изъяли 800 килограммов гашиша.

Банду возглавлял 40-летний житель Молдовы. Он ввозил наркотики в Россию почти 5 лет. Разумеется, обзавелся солидными знакомствами и связями, особенно на транспорте и в криминальной среде, где время от времени подбирал курьеров.  

 

Task 26. Make as many sentences as possible.

Passing through the Customs passengers MUST…

                                                               HAVE TO…

                                                               SHOULD…

                                                               CAN…

 

IV. Listening

Watch the video for the unit and fulfill the tasks suggested by the teacher.