On a Thursday evaluation meeting for a United Nations anti-crime initiative that has operated in Suriname for 14 years, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) announced plans to extend its international Container Control Programme to Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport. If Suriname submits an official request to launch the extension, a specialized Airport Control Unit is projected to become fully operational by the first quarter of 2027.
First established in 2009 following the signing of a formal Memorandum of Understanding between the Surinamese government and the UN agency, the Container Control Programme was created to counter a wide range of cross-border illicit activities. These include drug trafficking, illicit arms smuggling, trade in counterfeit goods, trafficking of unregulated illegal medical products, illegal wildlife smuggling, and terrorist financing and facilitation.
A UNODC delegation is currently conducting an official working visit to Suriname to carry out the 14-year performance evaluation of the programme. The assessment is being led by Bo Shakira Harris, UNODC Programme Management Officer, who has held a series of working meetings with key national stakeholders. These partners include the Suriname Security Service, the Suriname Police Corps, Suriname Customs, the Ministry of Justice and Police, the U.S. Embassy in Paramaribo, and the existing Port Control Unit based at Dr. Jules Sedney Port.
As part of the working visit, the UNODC also formally completed the handover of two mobile handheld scanners to Suriname authorities, according to an announcement from the Suriname Communication Service. The new scanning equipment will be deployed to inspect maritime containers entering and exiting the country, and it is expected to boost the operational capacity of the existing Port Control Unit at the country’s main port.
Mark Karg, security advisor to the President of Suriname, noted that the performance evaluation of the long-running programme is the top priority of the UNODC delegation’s visit. Karg emphasized that the Container Control Programme has emerged as a critical tool for Suriname in its ongoing fight against transnational organized crime, adding that the updated strategy will bring increased focus to smaller ISPS-certified maritime ports across the country that have historically been overlooked in enforcement efforts.
“We have found that multiple smaller ports have operated outside of formal oversight for years, and contraband smuggling has occurred through these entry and exit points,” Karg explained. Under the updated programme framework, these smaller ports will undergo full security audits, and adjustments will be made where necessary to bring them into full compliance with both national security regulations and international maritime standards.
Beyond Suriname, the Container Control Programme is already active across several other Caribbean nations, including Guyana, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Barbados. In the coming months, Suriname, UNODC, and regional partner authorities will carry out joint training initiatives and coordinated enforcement operations to further strengthen regional capacity to disrupt cross-border criminal networks.