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SGS Fighting Illicit Trade News

May 29, 2023

Illicit trade is on the increase around the world, threatening tax revenue, government reputations and consumer health and safety. It is estimated the current annual cost of illicit trade to global economies is USD 4.2 trillion.

SGS Fighting Illicit Trade (FIT) offers governments unrivalled expertise in combating counterfeiting, trafficking and contraband. Our flexible approach supports governments in the deployment of best-in-class strategies that use the latest profiling and targeting techniques.

This comprehensive service includes an assessment of current FIT provision against a unique 250-point benchmark built from major codes and international standards, support in developing more effective cross border controls and expert risk analysis to enable better targeting of FIT resources. In addition, we also train law enforcement agency (LEA) officers in the latest FIT techniques and ensure they have sufficient guidance to effectively instruct other operatives across the customs network.

Our specialists are fully accredited by the World Customs Organization (WCO) and are considered intellectual property rights (IPR) experts by the US Department of Justice, EU Commission, World Trade Organization and World Health Organization.

Bulgaria: stopping the trade in fake pesticides

April 3-6, 2023, the National Customs Agency of Bulgaria hosted an operational workshop organized by The Bulgarian Crop Protection Association (BgCPA) on the topic of good law enforcement practices in the fight against trade in fake and illegal pesticides. Held in Sofia, the event attracted more than 50 customs officials.

Mr. Plamen Pavlov, Deputy Director General of the National Customs Agency, opened proceedings by emphasizing the importance of training for employees involved in controlling customs on external borders of the European Union. He welcomed the initiative as a positive example of the private sector working with non-governmental agencies for the benefit of the environment and Bulgarian and European citizens.

Mr. Christophe Zimmermann, Business Development Director at SGS and World Customs Organizations (WCO) accredited expert in FIT, offered customs officials deep-level insights into the latest techniques for detecting and identifying counterfeit and illegal pesticides.

The workshop covered a range of topics associated with FIT, including risk analysis, better targeting of inspections and sequential steps for stopping suspected illegal shipments. Each presentation focused on the practical aspects of countering trade in illegal plant protection products, and all delegates received a certificate at the end of the workshop.

The event was reported by local media sources and on the National Customs Agency website.

Argentina: beating the counterfeiters

In April 2023, the General Directorate of Customs organized an operational workshop on Risk Analysis in the Fight against Counterfeiting and Illicit Trade in Argentina.

The purpose of this workshop was to train control agents in the latest techniques for risk analysis, target selection and risk management. Better knowledge of fraud routes allows customs authorities to target illegal practices more effectively, thereby helping them to protect consumers and intellectual property owners.

Opened by Guillermo Michel, Director General of Customs, the workshop took place over two days, with several internationally recognized specialists speaking to delegates, including WCO accredited FIT expert and SGS TFS Business Development Director Christophe Zimmermann.

The workshop received coverage on several local news websites, including Aduana News.

Learn more about SGS FIT solutions.

© SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA.

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For further information, please contact:

Christophe Zimmermann

Christophe Zimmerman

Business Development Director

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