NAME OF FEATURE | THE GLEANER | SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2026 43 INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMS DAY/CUSTOMS WEEK FEATURE | THE SUNDAY GLEANER | FEBRUARY 1, 2026 Jamaica stands where routes converge, A geostrategic hub, Attractive to commerce. As the border threat landscape shifts and evolves, Organised crime groups adapt, regroup, reroute, and resolve, Yet Customs responds engineered, informed, and evolved. The Jamaica Customs Agency saw it clear, No pause, no doubt, no moment of fear. With no hesitation, swift and aligned, Adaptive by design, Transformed modernisation into a defensive line. Modernised systems, technology, and manpower in hand A force to be reckoned with, CAPIT guides the plan. Facilitating trade, optimising revenue collection, protecting the nation’s border, That’s our power. With newly acquired vessels, the agency wears a badge of honour. From paper to platform, from sight to scan, Implementation of the Contactless Clearance System, The Jamaica Customs Agency strengthened its span. With strategic partnerships and MOUs signed, From local to international trainings combined. With accomplished standards such as ISO 9001:2015, And a diverse workforce, prioritising wellbeing. Strategically assigned, Hello, I’m reporting from Customs Moves live! No holding back, the message is crystal clear, Distinguished PR, please direct the camera to “Customs Meets the Community” over there. Let’s narrow down on the guardians of the Jamaican border, The Border Protection Division, quiet strength and power. Making Jamaica a safe haven, a terror to disorder. Operating without fear, A well-coordinated ecosystem, United, sharp, and clear. First stop is the Non-Intrusive Inspection and Security Management Branch, Organised to the T, Distinguished men and women clad in sky blue, Operating at the air and seaports, Discreetly scanning and detecting without force. No need to advertise the wins, just check the local news, Whew! With modern fixed and mobile non-intrusive inspection systems in place, Facilitating trade with speed, while exposing contraband’s trace. No anomaly goes unseen, whether through plastic or steel, Barrels, crates, and vehicles, Our scanning mechanisms reveal. With continuous training to remain one step ahead, Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you NISMB, A terror to disorder, where vigilance is bred. Next stop is the Physical Security and Surveillance Monitoring Services, A team that holds the ground, unseen yet firm, Access controlled, “roger that, over, confirm.” Perimeters tight, Customs facilities guarded day and night. Cameras, checkpoints, locked on the line, Disciplined stance, every move tactical, by design. “Check your six, eyes forward,” transforming the space into a shield, Rules of engagement set, every protocol sealed, Tactical presence confirmed, authority is calmly revealed. Third stop is the Intelligence Branch, Moving quietly like a stealth aircraft, balance with precision. Covert, overt, drawing on intelligence techniques, Mapping threats before they reach our shores, Success is discreet, nothing for the streets. Through targeted Intel Blasts, officers are alerted to emerging and trending threats, Leaving no room for smugglers success. Transnational organised crime stands no chance, Confronted by foresight, dismantled by design. Men and women in black, Professionally stacked. Locked. This is the Contraband Enforcement Team, Excellent marksmanship, stealth, and precision intact. Where intelligence is turned into action, They give no smugglers an option. Controlled deliveries, kinetic presence, zero ambiguity. Reinforcing the law, they make sure Customs offenders remembers well, Without a doubt, this is where consistency dwells. Accompanied on inspections are some notable fellows, Sniffing, detecting, narcotics and weapons. Travelling like diplomats in newly acquired K-9 fleet, Highly decorated four-legged officers, precision in motion, from patrol to street. Let’s take a stop over the Investigations Branch. You may not encounter them frequently, But they are quietly working hand in hand. They carry the work beyond the seizure, Here, justice is not impulsive or loud, But deliberate, durable, and sound. At the core of the BPD operations, stands the Operational Risk Management and Targeting Branch. Upon entrance, it seems like a runway scene, Professional stilettos clicking, handbags, suits and briefcases crisp and clean. Multiple screens, key systems all in command, Operations flowing, steady, and planned. On time submission of risk ratings that guide engagement, Each piece of information strategically populated to foster BPD coordination. Risk distilled into strategic sight, They strike silently with precision and foresight, not by chance, but insight. Together these arms operate as one integrated system, Protecting our nation’s borders, economy, and image. From air to sea, to the visible and covert layer, This is not the Customs of yesterday alone, But an evolved ecosystem, building layer by layer. One Customs, We definitely move as one. Jamaica Customs Agency, Country Above Self, mission above all. BY ANGILEE BABORAM Non-Intrusive Inspection and Security Management Branch (NISMB), JCA The BPD – Sentinels of the Jamaican Border BPD
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