CBP Hosts Turkish Customs Administration

Agencies Share Best Practices in Border Security and Trade Facilitation

Washington – The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will host the leadership of the Turkish Customs Administration this week as part of the International Visitors Program. Through the program, the two agencies will share best practices for border security and trade facilitation.

CBP and TCA signed a Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement in 1996 and have since leveraged it extensively. Through the International Visitors Program, Government of Turkey dignitaries and executives have been briefed on CBP operations, toured field locations, and shared best practices with CBP officials. During an IVP event in July 2010, CBP Commissioner Alan Bersin and TCA Director General Riza Mehmet Korkmaz met to discuss CBP-TCA collaboration and bilateral cooperation on border security and trade facilitation.

Since 2005, CBP has delivered 11 training programs to the Turkish Customs Administration related to targeting, risk management, and border interdiction. Discussions on future training are focused on the development of training curriculum for the Turkish Customs Education Centre, the exchange of trainers to share best practices, and the development of a train-the-trainer cadre.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.