The Netherlands, Belgium, and five major international shipping companies have joined forces in the fight against organized crime in the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. They agreed to that at yesterday's conference, "Working together for a safe and sound port" in Antwerp. They are going to use smart-equipped containers.
These sound an alarm when someone tampers with the containers. Also, employees will be screened, information mutually exchanged, and there will be collaboration toward further international security standards in the fight against criminality and drug smuggling worldwide.
Dutch Ministers Yeşilgöz-Zegerius (Justice and Security), Harbers (Infrastructure and Water Management) and State Secretary De Vries (Benefits and Customs), and Belgian Prime Minister De Croo signed the joint 'Declaration on the Fight against Transnational Organized Drug Crime'.
As did Belgian vice prime ministers Van Peteghem (Finance), Van Quickenborne (Justice and North Sea) and Verlinden (Interior), mayors Aboutaleb of Rotterdam and De Wever of Antwerp, and executives of the five major shipping companies MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag Lloyd, and Seatrade.
"Criminal power structures have become multinational companies operating internationally," says Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius. "To dismantle them, Belgium, the major shipping companies, and we are pushing for a global standard in tackling organized crime. Hiding drugs in shipping containers, other cargo, or on ships is a popular smuggling method."
"Ruthless violence and corruption also pose a major threat to our society and economy. Government and business can only effectively counter this together. We have a joint responsibility to stop large-scale drug smuggling with all the violence and intimidation that brings," Minister Yeşilgöz-Zegerius explains.
Minister Harbers: "The ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp are the economic lifelines of not only The Netherlands and Belgium but Europe too. What attracts international companies and countries to these ports also makes them attractive to drug cartels. I'm pleased that major shipowners have joined this initiative. Using smart technology like smart seals means we can start addressing the problem at its core."
"There have been record seizures in the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp," adds State secretary De Vries. "Those show how massive the drug smuggling issue is in both countries. That's why we stand shoulder to shoulder in tackling drug crime. Dutch and Belgian customs are already working together in countries like South America to scan shipments there too."
"Shipping companies have plenty of information about countries where many of these drugs originate. Their ships come into numerous ports. That's why we're going to exchange more information, so customs can check even more specifically, and we can increase the chance of intercepting these drugs," De Vries concludes.
