The WCO Secretary General Lars Karlsson honoured two Argentine Customs Officials last week for their work in connection to operations against drug trafficking during 2007.

Karlsson congratulated Juan Carlos Pan, Inspection Chief, and María Rosa García, Customs Office Director in Ezeiza, during a ceremony led by the head of the local Customs Office, Ricardo Echegaray.

A WCO training centre was officially installed in Buenos Aires, making it the seventh in the world.

Karlsson hailed the efforts carried out by the Argentine Customs Office to modernize procedures.

He also praised the creation of the Risk Management Department to replace the “Sistema María” technological system, which dates back to the 80s and has become obsolete.

A report released recently by the Anti-narcotics Department said that, during 2007, around 1,647 kilos of cocaine were seized in all the country, 4,530 of marijuana, 25,932 ecstasy pills were seized as well as 143 kilos of coca leaves.

At least 313 people were arrested during operations by the Customs Office and the Anti-narcotics department.

SOURCE: BUENOS AIRES HERALD