Customs inaugurates system to monitor passenger movement

Customs has inaugurated a system to monitor passenger movement at Ibrahim Nasir International Airport.

The new system monitors the movement of passengers arriving in the Maldives, and identifies suspects based on risk profiling and targeting. It is operated with the collaboration of Customs and several other institutions. The inauguration ceremony held today was for the opening of the interdiction room dedicated for this project.

The interdiction room was established with the free assistance of the American government. 26 people have been trained in various areas to work with this project.

The interdiction room was inaugurated by American Defence Attaché to Sri Lanka and Maldives Lieutenant Colonel Patrick J. Schuler and Maldives Customs Service Commissioner General Mohamed Aswan, at a ceremony held to celebrate the International Customs Day.

Lieutenant Colonel Patrick J. Schuler said that this project is necessary for security purposes, and that the most important element of such a project is not the equipment used, but the people who are trained for its implementation. He also said that the US will carry out similar projects in the Maldives in the future.

Customs informed today that the interdiction room will enable them to cease the import of drugs to the Maldives, and to seek out and understand various crimes conducted at border level.

In today’s ceremony, ten employees were awarded the WCO Certificate of Merit. The employees were chosen for providing remarkable services under this year’s slogan “Borders divide, Customs Connect”.

January 26 is the International Customs Day.