The high level of co-operation between French and Jersey Customs has led to the arrest of 20 ‘significant organisers’ of trafficking operations during that time.
One of the highest-profile Customs groups from France were invited to the Island this week so that their valuable contribution could be marked by Home Affairs Committee president Senator Wendy Kinnard and Deputy Phil Rondel, the committee member with responsibility for Customs.
Senator Kinnard said that the success the agencies had achieved together demonstrated the extent to which inter-agency work across borders could protect the Island’s shores from some of the worst forms of drug importation.
Among the French group was Christian Gattard, who along with Customs and Immigration chief executive Steve Cole started 15 years ago to forge strong intelligence links between the two agencies.
Since then, the two sides have been regularly sharing intelligence, and officers spend time in each other’s departments and share some training courses.
