General Manager of Algerian Customs: “The number of agents to reach 20.000 by 2010”

General Manager of the Algerian Customs, Abdou Bouderbala said Thursday, “My department brought in for the first time a scanner to inspect the containers at the port of Algiers, because it is the largest institution belonging to the customs. We are also waiting for the import of four similar devices in the future in order to cover all the ports and airports. I have to inform you that one mobile scanner is worth about two or three million euros”.

• “My department launched a number of procedures, including the intensification of the control in the customs’ centres and inspectorates as well as mobilizing the ports with special equipments in order to detect fraud and false statements,” he added.
• The General Manager of the Algerian Customs told Echorouk that his department took firm actions to thwart the smuggling of products that are illegally imported. “We decided to inspect the containers using the mobile scanners directly at their exit of the ship”, he said.
• “Many importers used fraud operations by exploiting the procedure which gives them the right to keep their containers in the ports for a period of four months and 21 days, that’s why we will reduce this period in the future”.
• Echorouk asked the General Manager of the customs about the smuggling of large quantities of explosives and fireworks from China to Dubai by sea, particularly on the anniversary of the prophet Mohamed, peace be upon him, he confirmed, “The customs’ department took stringent measures to prevent the smuggling of these prohibited products which are usually smuggled inside foreign containers from the south, where large quantities of explosives are smuggled across the land borders after security forces crack down on the nefarious activities of smugglers at sea.
• “The customs department continues its campaign for purging its ranks after attempts of bribery by many of its elements who are involved in many judicial cases. There is a war against all kinds of abuses and distortions. All the candidates will be subjected to a psycho- technical testing as a condition of access to the customs”, he asserted.
• Previously, only 1.600 out of 10.000 candidates passed the customs testing; “The number of customs agents will rise to 20.000 agents by 2010 in the framework of the government’s program on the security coverage”.
• Now, the Algerian customs number is estimated at 14.000 agents.