Border control strengthened: Meeting with UNODC on the fight against trafficking
The Director General of Customs, Besmir Beja, held a meeting today with a delegation of UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), headed by Danilo Rizzi, Regional Representative for South-Eastern Europe (SEE), in the context of consolidating and deepening cooperation in the field of border control and the fight against illicit trafficking.
During the meeting, the Director General expressed the readiness and commitment of the Albanian Customs Administration to continue and strengthen cooperation with UNODC, with the aim of increasing the capacities of customs structures in preventing and combating illegal cross-border activities. The parties shared a common vision for the further development of the border control infrastructure, based on a clear assessment of the concrete needs of the customs administration, as well as for strengthening professional expertise in this field.
In this context, the importance of regional and international cooperation was also emphasized to more effectively address the challenges related to illegal trafficking, including international organized crime, smuggling and other forms of illegal activities that affect the security and integrity of borders.
For their part, UNODC representatives presented the initiatives being implemented in the South-Eastern Europe region within the framework of the joint European Union-UNODC programme to strengthen the rule of law and improve border control measures at ports, airports and other border crossing points. This programme aims to increase the capacities of beneficiary agencies in the region to address transnational organized crime more effectively, through more coordinated law enforcement responses to illicit trafficking.
At the end of the meeting, the organization of the basic practical training for airport control units was also discussed, which is expected to take place in Tirana on 4–8 May 2026, within the framework of the UNODC Passenger and Cargo Control Programme. The training aims to equip customs and border police officers with practical skills to identify and address threats related to the illegal trafficking of goods and persons, as well as to strengthen operational coordination between institutions responsible for border management.
The meeting was considered an important step towards intensifying institutional cooperation and developing more effective mechanisms for guaranteeing security and control at the country's borders.
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