DHL FREIGHT TO COOPERATE WITH SWEDISH CUSTOMS AGAINST CUSTOMS CRIME

DHL Freight Sweden has entered into an agreement with Swedish Customs on cooperation against customs crime, which includes preventive work against smuggling. The agreement also provides for the joint identification of measures to be taken by the parties in the fight against organised cross-border customs crime.

Swedish Customs states that transports and flows of goods are increasingly being used by organised crime to smuggle goods such as narcotics, weapons and tobacco. This risks also affecting legal companies in the transport flow. Cooperation against customs crime can make customs controls more effective, prevent the flow of illegal shipments and create safer transport flows.

DHL Freight Sweden and Swedish Customs have signed an agreement that means that they will use each other's expertise, network of contacts and experience to prevent and combat customs crime. The agreement provides for joint action in the fight against organised cross-border customs crime.

"For DHL Freight Sweden, it is natural to contribute to the Swedish society being able to prevent organised crime. If we can be part of a solution, we naturally want to collaborate with Swedish Customs and offer our expertise and experience to contribute to a safer society," says Robert Zander, CEO of DHL Freight Sweden.

The collaboration means, among other things, that DHL Freight Sweden assists Swedish Customs with industry knowledge and information about its transports and goods flows. The aim is to jointly minimise the risk of infiltration into goods flows and prevent customs criminal activities.

"Collaboration with the business community in the fight against cross-border customs crime is incredibly important and we see a strong commitment from the companies we work with. Through collaboration, we get more eyes and ears that can detect anomalies and suspicious shipments, which in turn leads to safer transports and a safer society," says Mikael Lindgren at Swedish Customs' Intelligence Department.

A first concrete result of the collaboration is that staff at DHL Freight Sweden's 25 terminals are trained by Swedish Customs. The goal is for all terminal workers, traffic planners and salaried employees in terminal and storage operations to have completed training by the second quarter of 2024.

“We already have effective procedures and methods in place, and our employees are meticulous and attentive. With Swedish Customs' specialist expertise, we further sharpen the organisation in preventing crime. We are already seeing the results of our cooperation and we have a very good contact with Swedish Customs' representatives all over Sweden," says Susann Marco, Head of Security at DHL Freight Sweden.