The Modern Customs Preventive Service - in the Context of Kennya Revenue Authority

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They also oversee operations at the major sea ports, and mail centers. . The CPS Learning Centre is located in Mombasa, Kenya Revenue Authority Training Institute,Mombasa – Malindi Highway.

ROLES OF THE CUSTOMS PREVENTIVE SERVICE

Responsibilities

Customs Preventive Services responsibilities include:

- We administer legislation that governs the admissibility of people and goods into and out of Kenya

- We establish how people and goods move through our borders

- We detain those people who may pose a threat to Kenya with help from our security personnel.

- We interdict illegal goods entering or leaving the country

- We protect food safety and the environment by stopping prohibited or hazardous products arriving at our air, land and sea ports

- We promote Kenyan business and economic benefits by administering trade legislation and trade agreements to meet Kenya’s international obligations

- We enforce trade remedies that help protect Kenyan industry from the harmful effects of dumped and subsidized imported goods

- We administer a fair and impartial redress mechanism

- We promote Kenyan interests at various international organizations

- We collect any applicable duties and taxes

Examinations, Searches and Seizures

All persons and goods entering or leaving are subject to examination by CPS officers. An examination can be as simple as a few questions, but can also include an examination of the subject’s vehicle and/or luggage, more intensive questioning, or personal searches. The intensity of an examination depends on the reasonable grounds that the officer has to escalate the intensiveness of a search.

Examinations are performed to ensure compliance with Customs and Immigration legislation. CPS officers are given their authority by the East African Community- Customs Management Act and the Immigration Act. However, Customs Preventive Services are also responsible for enforcing other Acts of Parliament (Kenya), including the Criminal Procedure Code, and have different authorities under the different Acts.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

These are thje problems or challenges that encompass the current crop of Customs Preventive Service.

- Reduction of paper work

- Proper data collection

- Lack of data retrival and analysis systems(Report writing and Risk analysist)

- Digitilizing the HS CODE , the Act, Departmental instructions and CMR.

- Inefficiency dueto manual processes

- CPS integration in Customs modernisation

- Lack of proper communication tools and network (Border Stations)

- Lack of information sharing with partners.

- The condescending/look down culture attributed to the CPS.

OBJECTIVES

Due to the above mentioned challenges,the GT2 –CPS are proposing herein the development of a system known as Modern Custom Preventive Service (E-CPS) to mitigate the same

A NEW CONCEPT IN THE MAKING

The current GT – CPS 2,have envisioned a more vibrant amore proffesional amore productive cadre of Customs Preventive Services.It is in this spirit of improvement that we have decided to meet the modern challenges with the following new concepts.

Border Watch Hotline

The CPS Border Watch info line offers citizens the opportunity to report suspicious cross border activity directly to the Customs Services Department in a direct and confidential manner. The Border Watch line differs from other phone lines for the public, such as Police Hotline in that it is designed to focus directly on border-related intelligence.

CPS Border Action Plan – New Border Agreement

The CPS Border Action Plan, also known as the New Border Agreement, is an initiative of the Graduate Trainee - Customs Preventive Service 2 specifically for the CPS, The Agreement is set up in order to facilitate the cross-border flow of travelers and goods, while co-coordinating enforcement efforts in the Partner countries.

The New Border Agreement will consist of points of common interest to improve both security and trade between the Partner countries. There are four main pillars to the Action Plan:

- Secure flow of people

- Secure flow of goods

- Investing in secure infrastructure

- Co-ordination and information sharing in the enforcement of these objectives

The Advanced Advice Consent Information

Another major project of the GT – CPS 2 is The Advanced Advice Consent Information which requires ship borne and airborne cargo entering Kenya and its Partner countries to be registered with the Deaprtment. This assists officials at seaports and airports in their inspections, and allows for the tracking of suspicious materials,prior to entry within Kenya’s jurisdiction.

These projects are vital in the manning of our porous vital borders and inland transit highways.

STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS

Border Management

Managing border operations efficiently requires sound planning and the use of multiple strategies to ensure the flow of lawful people and trade, as well as the identification and interdiction of unknown or high risks.

To manage the border, the CPS will employ three main strategies:

- Advance Information

To identify and stop high-risk people and goods before they get to Kenya.

To identify and stop high-risk people and goods before they arrive in Kenya the CPS has/will developed a strategy

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