Airport Communication Programme (AIRCOP)

The Challenge

Organized crime groups have long focused on speeding up transportation of drugs and other illicit goods by using ships, containers or aircrafts and have been able to transport even larger amounts across the globe, taking advantage of the growing connectivity offered by airlines. Despite efforts being made, many countries, including in West and Central Africa, still lack the technical and technological capabilities to undertake comprehensive and efficient profiling, inspections of luggage, cargo, mail, or body checks without impacting the smooth operations of commercial airports. In addition, the sharing of information between law enforcement agencies in origin, transit and destination countries is often inexistent.

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AIRCOP is a UNODC global programme implemented in partnership with INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO). It aims at strengthening the capacities of international airports to target and intercept high-risk passengers, cargo and mail, as a contribution to the fight against illicit drugs and other illicit commodities (such as wildlife products or falsified medical products), terrorism-related threats (such as arms or potential foreign terrorist fighters), trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants. It also aims at facilitating communication and coordination between origin, transit and destination countries to disrupt cross-border illicit flows and criminal networks. To that aim, AIRCOP supports the establishment of inter-agency Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces (JAITFs), inter-agency units which are competent in the passenger, freight, postal and express vectors, as well as for general aviation control. AIRCOP builds the capacities of the JAITFs towards an intelligence-led identification, detection and interception of known and unknown high-risk passengers travelling by air as well as suspicious mail and cargo. Finally, AIRCOP facilitates secure real time transmission and sharing of information between law enforcement services at national, regional and international levels. Specific tools provided by AIRCOP include access to INTERPOL's secure global police communications network (I-24/7) and databases, WCO's CENcomm system and relevant national databases.

AIRCOP supports the protection of human rights in the treatment of intercepted passengers and/or victims of trafficking in persons/smuggling of migrants and advocates for the inclusion on gender considerations, notably through advocating for the appointment of female officers and chiefs of JAITFs, the inclusion of gender and human rights elements within JAITFs' standard operating procedures, and the dissemination of awareness-raising tools.

AIRCOP is also in charge of Pillar II (Operationalisation of Passenger Information Units) of the All-of-UN UNOCT-led Countering Terrorist Travel Programme, to assist Member States in building their capacities to prevent, detect, investigate and prosecute terrorist offences and other serious crimes, including their related travel, by collecting and analyzing passenger data.

AIRCOP is implemented in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, South-Eastern Europe and South-East Asia. In West and Central Africa, AIRCOP is present through 15 JAITFs.

You can lean more about AIRCOP and discover our most recent activities here

United Nations

UNODC West and Central Africa

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WHAT WE DO

Goals we are supporting through this initiative

INVESTMENT AREAS