Law Enforcement Division
The Law Enforcement Division of the Service plays a central role in delivering the Bailiwick’s strategies to tackle serious and organised crime in particular, drug trafficking, financial crime, money laundering, serious and organised smuggling, illegal immigration and, more recently, terrorism. The Law Enforcement Division is responsible for bringing, through the Crown Officers, a large number of cases that are tried before the Royal Court each year.
Law Enforcement comprises of four Branches - Detection, Investigation, Intelligence and Professional Standards, Development & Support.
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DETECTION BRANCH
The Detection Branch is responsible for maintaining border controls examining persons and goods for prohibited or restricted goods as they enter or leave the Bailiwick. This Branch also undertakes a considerable amount of ‘Agency’ work on behalf of other government departments in order to safeguard public, plant and animal health and to ensure goods that are imported or exported comply with the relevant legislative and licensing requirements locally and elsewhere. The Detection Branch also plays a key and important role supporting and assisting the other two Divisions of the Service in enforcing Immigration controls and protecting the revenue by countering smuggling and through the collection of Customs duties and other indirect taxation initiatives.
INVESTIGATION BRANCH
The Investigation Branch is focussed on pro-actively tackling serious and organised crime groups engaged principally in drug trafficking and money laundering otgether with a robust approach to the investigation of financial crime and the confiscation of proceeds of crime. This Branch is equipped and skilled to carry out highly specialised areas of work such as covert surveillance, financial investigations and high level criminal targeting, which are vital in order to effectively counter drug trafficking and other serious organised crime. In addition, this Branch supports the other Divisions of the Service by taking relevant enforcement action against those involved in other serious offences, such as illegal immigration and the commercial smuggling of revenue goods in order to evade duty.
INTELLIGENCE BRANCH
In order for law enforcement to be effective and cause the minimum of disruption to the travelling public and the movement of goods, Customs controls are primarily ‘intelligence’ led. The Intelligence Branch is responsible for gathering information from a variety of areas and sources in order to co-ordinate and focus the efforts of the Service. Together with the Police, the Service has also combined to form a joint and dedicated Financial Intelligence Service in relation to financial crime, money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism. In addition, the more general intelligence functions of both organisations also work in tandem, with a Customs Intelligence Officer being seconded into the Force Intelligence Bureau at Police Headquarters.
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, DEVELOPMENT & SUPPORT BRANCH
The primary purpose of the Professional Standards, Development and Support Branch is to monitor, promote and ensure compliance with legal (for example the Regulation of Investigatory Powers and the Police Powers and Criminal Evidence Laws) and professional requirements and standards across the Service. The Branch is responsible for co-ordinating and delivering training for the Service. In addition, the Branch is responsible for providing operational advice and technical assistance to officers.
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