A recently released audit report says the risk assessments that border officials have used for years to decide whether to search vessels entering Canadian territorial waters are based on outdated and inaccurate data and indicate that the risk of high-risk vessels is high. There is an increased risk of unauthorized goods and people entering Canada.
“Due to system limitations, [Canada Border Services Agency] “They may not have complete records of all individuals entering the country through ports,” the audit states. It was posted online last week.
This review examines how CBSA’s National Targeting Center identified people and objects bound for Canada that may have posed a threat between April 1, 2020 and March 31, 2022. investigated.
The National Targeting Center uses risk assessments to determine whether vessels that could be used for illegal activities such as smuggling or illegal immigration should be flagged for inspection, according to the audit.
Daniel Anson, director of the CBSA’s Directorate of Intelligence and Investigations, said the high-risk cargo could include precursor chemicals used to make synthetic opioids and other illicit drugs.
“Given the sad and tragic mortality rates that we’re seeing, it’s clear that precursor chemicals are a top priority,” he said in an interview.
Border officials stationed at Canadian ports are also on the lookout for potential Canadian Food Inspection Agency violations, such as barnacles under ships.
The targeting center also aims to use risk assessment training to determine whether crew members can enter the country.
Anson said crew members sometimes lack documentation or try to use fraudulent documentation. In some cases, passengers may not be allowed to board a ship because they are from a country under sanctions, and in rare cases, the crew may pose national security concerns.
CBSA may not be able to identify disallowed products: Audit
But the audit found that indicators and intelligence personnel relied on from April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2022 to determine whether the cargo and crew that needed to be searched were old. Referrals were also hampered by “exorbitant testing costs,” the audit said.
“CBSA’s maritime mode targeting methodologies and processes rely on legacy systems and outdated procedures in risk assessment for cargo, vessels, and crew,” the audit said.
“This results in sustained operational inefficiencies, below-target performance, and ultimately increases the risk that the Government of Canada may admit inadmissible persons or goods into the country.”
“High-risk cargo may be allowed to move, while low-risk cargo may be referred for inspection,” the audit warned.
“As a result, the CBSA may not be able to identify products that are not permitted.”
The audit found that data on crew from cargo shipping companies is not received in a consistent format and must be entered manually, “increasing the risk that authorities will not be able to identify high-risk individuals or vessels.” Stated.
The audit also examined how CBSA information, in addition to information collected by domestic and international enforcement partners, is used to target suspicious cargo and crew at ports.
Targeting officials told the audit they were concerned that information was arriving too late to be applied and that there was a lack of information “about higher-level trends and threats.”
The audit concluded that CBSA management was “aware of the challenges that exist.”
“However, the audit found little evidence that coordinated leadership and prioritized actions were taken to address and resolve the issues.”
The audit makes four main recommendations. The report states that maritime and cargo targeting practices should focus on the highest-risk cargoes and that CBSA should establish a process to update targeting risk metrics more regularly.
CBSA says it is modernizing its systems after audit
Anson said the audit clarified what the CBSA needs to do.
“The audit is keen to point out, ‘You’re not perfect,'” he said. “And we are focused and trying to embrace them and prioritize modernizing our systems.”
Anson said the CBSA is considering adding data analysis and training.
“People always try to exploit gaps,” he said.
Customs and Immigration Union First Nations vice president Rick Savage said over the years regional expertise has sometimes been ignored by national headquarters.
He was pleased to see that the audit recommended improved integration of information obtained by CBSA officials in each region.
“They know the area, so they’ll know, for example, if the address a shipping container is going to isn’t actually within a business area,” he said.
“If you’re sitting at the national headquarters in Ottawa, Ontario, you can’t necessarily look at an address and say, ‘Wait a minute, that’s a residential area.'”
Calvin Christie, a former RCMP superintendent who now works for a private risk management company, said he would have liked to see the audit further strengthen the need for technology to monitor Canada’s maritime areas, including the Arctic.
“More money and more resources won’t solve every national security problem, but technology can support it,” said Christie, a partner on the Critical Risks team.
“These tools should be considered by all Canadian security agencies, including the military and intelligence agencies. [and] Police will ensure national and global interoperability with all partners. This is the only way to combat foreign threats in the maritime domain and is an important means of mitigating illegal trade in Canada. ”