Op-Ed from Secretary General Ian Saunders of the World Customs Organization / A steady hand at the border – why Customs matters more than ever

21 April 2026

Largely unseen and rarely recognized, Customs officers stand at the frontline between the flow of global commerce and the fight against illicit trade. Our responsibilities require Customs to act and adapt to constant innovation - driven by those looking to better society and those working against it. In a world where attempts to exploit global trade show no sign of abating, that steady, vigilant hand of Customs has never been more indispensable.

For most people, Customs is only understood as a brief airport interaction. However, Customs work is profoundly human: protecting lives, safeguarding livelihoods, and holding the line for the societies it serves. The mission stretches far beyond the border checkpoint, from sophisticated risk analysis and physical inspections at ports of entry, to the seamless sharing of intelligence across national boundaries.

Today, that mission has never been more demanding. The converging challenges of geopolitics, organised crime, and the exponential growth of e-commerce have transformed not only what crosses our borders, but how, when, and why. All are changes that demand Customs evolve at a pace that matches the complexity of the world it monitors.

Every threat intercepted is a harm that society never has to reckon with. The success of Customs is often defined by what is removed from the system, not by what the public sees, but by what it is spared.

Regional Cooperation

This vigilance is more effective when shared. This week, 34 Customs Administrations will be represented at the WCO Regional Conference of Customs Directors General for the Americas and Caribbean, hosted by SUNAT, in Lima.

Enhancing regional cooperation among Customs administrations with the support of the WCO is firmly on the agenda. The efforts of Customs, when we work together, are stronger and more effective in protecting society. The results include tangible societal benefits; illicit drugs, weapons and ozone-depleting chemicals intercepted; counterfeit medicines removed; and illegal financial flows stopped.

In December 2025, the WCO and Argentina Customs hosted Customs colleagues from the Americas and Africa to examine the growing impact of illicit drug trafficking through General Aviation (small private aircraft) and how to tackle this new threat, especially with respect to synthetic drugs.

We also concluded Operation Calypso 2 in the Caribbean, focused on small weapons and drug smuggling, which saw over 500 seizures in just three weeks. From intercepting narcotics and weapons to removing unsafe and counterfeit goods and blocking illegal financial flows, we are quietly and systematically detecting, disrupting and deterring organized crime through our joint operations.

Continuous capacity building and innovation

The WCO brings Customs administrations together to share and develop innovative solutions to global issues and keep pace with evolving threats. We also ensure that Customs administrations have the tools they need to facilitate the smooth and secure movement of goods and people. In sharing best practices and innovations, we can jointly advance greater efficiency in Customs procedures.

We have tackled challenges through efforts to train Customs officers, improve detection capability, build expertise through mentoring, and ensure effective employment of technology platforms for information sharing and intelligence.

In the past months, for example, WCO experts have strengthened capacities and provided technical assistance to Customs officers in enhancing analytical use of Customs data that will contribute to stronger risk management and support the continued modernization of customs processes in Peru. We have expanded the use of a Geo-Intelligence platform that boosts the monitoring capacity of high-risk aircraft movement and sharing of intelligence across borders in real-time. We also provided technical support and guidance to enhance Colombia's e-commerce clearance procedures working with Customs and the private sector.

We do this because when Customs administrations are equipped, connected, and prepared, the societies they protect are safer for it.

Commitment and Vigilance

The WCO is firm in its commitment to working with all partners to combat illicit trade and ensure supply chain integrity. That is why we have set our theme for 2026 as "Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment." This was to emphasize to the public, and to the global trade community, that Customs' daily vigilance and commitment to stemming the ever-evolving range of threats at borders is fundamental for our societies to flourish, economically and socially.

One of my goals, as Secretary General of the WCO, is to increase awareness of the crucial role of Customs. Customs' actions do more than collect revenue or scan luggage; they preserve the security and well-being of entire societies. And we do this every day.