HM CUSTOMS AND EXCISE: THE SEIZURE OF DRUG TRAFFICKERS'
ASSETS
| INTEGRITY OF INVESTIGATING STAFF
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| Qs 1 to 3
| 24. Our predecessors enquired about the risk of corruption of Customs and Excise staff dealing with drug trafficking investigations. The Department said that there were strong line management controls which included the approval of travel arrangements at a high level within the national investigation service. They had now set up a standardised documentation system, including records of overseas enquiries. These were controlled through a legal process involving an application to collect evidence, through the Home Office to the overseas authority, and officers travelling abroad were assisted throughout by an officer of the overseas authority.
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| Qs 4, 5
| 25. Our predecessors asked the Department whether they had considered the positive vetting of investigating officers. The Department confirmed that they did have officers who were positively vetted, but that this was usually where the work entailed access to sensitive information, for example on drugs networks, rather than the investigation of financial affairs. For the latter, they relied on strong management controls, which seemed to have worked well.
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| Conclusion |
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| 26. We recognise the very high standards of integrity set by the Department and their staff. We welcome their assurances about the controls in place for the conduct of overseas enquiries. We note, however, that drug trafficking is lucrative, and a major source of corruption worldwide. We urge the Department to maintain vigilance against the risks of corruption, to ensure that standards of case monitoring and documentation remain high, and to regularly assess the personal integrity of investigators both before and during their assignments.
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