NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2024 26 INT’L CUSTOMS DAY & CUSTOMS WEEK 2024 FEATURE CUSTOMS NEWS IN REVIEW Jamaica Customs, JCF sign MOU on access to INTERPOL’s database The year witnessed a further deepening of the partnership between the Jamaica Customs Agency and the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to address issues threatening Jamaica’s border. On July 25, 2023, both agencies signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that granted the border security and revenue agency access to INTERPOL’s pool of global criminal data and access records of 195 countries worldwide. Speaking at the signing, which took place at the JCA’s head office in Kingston, Velma Ricketts Walker, CEO/commissioner, emphasised the significance of the data-sharing system to Customs border security operations. “Access to these systems will strengthen Customs intelligence and the risk-based targeting approach, which is crucial for preventing crimes related to cross-border trade,” Ricketts Walker shared. “This access will provide us with new tools for identifying suspect players, or individuals of interest and their associated entities.” She further highlighted the importance of the pact in stemming crime. Commissioner of Police Major General Antony Anderson and Commissioner of Customs Velma Ricketts Walker put pen to paper at the official signing of the INTERPOL memorandum of understanding granting Jamaica Customs access to the intergovernmental organisation’s criminal and information databases. Looking on is Hazel Edwards, senior director, legal affairs, at Jamaica Customs.
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