Don’t let yourself be exploited

Strengthen your
organization

Drug smuggling through the port only succeeds when criminals get help from within. Everyone is useful to criminals. From forklift driver to director, and from canteen staff to planner.

Once they manage to infiltrate your organization, it can have serious consequences:

Major security risks for employees
Unattractive employer
Damage to reputation
Disrupted operations
Financial loss
Prosecution

What can you do?

You might think it doesn’t happen in your company. Know that criminals are constantly looking for new ways to gain a foothold in the ports. So, it’s important to stay vigilant. Especially when you add up signals, you might notice that something isn’t right.

Recognize signals
Protect your organization
Reporting is important

Recognize signals

Make your organization resilient against the influence of criminals

Among employees

Someone frequently comes in outside their scheduled hours at work and often asks to swap shifts.
An employee frequently loses or forgets access passes, keys, or codes.
Someone is in a place where they don’t need to be.

Someone exhibits suspicious search behavior in the system.
Someone suddenly has a lot of expensive items that don’t match their income.
An employee wants to be present during the loading of a shipment, which is not logical.
An employee who behaves tense or evasive, isolates themselves, or frequently leaves the workplace may be involved in criminal activity.

More signals Less signals

On-site

You see people who don’t belong there being dropped off from the water onto the quay.
Boats come alongside a ship, but they have no business there.
Bags are thrown overboard or into the water during bunkering.

Individuals boarding or disembarking ships with bags.
You see divers or individuals with diving gear at strange locations and unusual times.
A hole in a fence.
Gates left unnecessarily open, especially at ISPS locations.
Damaged and open containers.
Containers without seals or with broken seals.
You see extra people ‘hitching a ride’ with port personnel or truck drivers.
Containers are in the wrong or illogical location.
Individuals walk on the terminal in dark clothing without a visible vest.
Individuals walk on the premises with sports bags, sleeping bags, tools, and/or container seals.
Fishermen, cyclists, and ‘tourists’ around terminals may also have wrong intentions.
Strangers on the premises.
Strangers being dropped off from the water side onto the quay.
Boats going alongside a ship with no legitimate reason.
Bags being thrown overboard during bunkering.
Unknown vans are driving on or around your company.
Individuals seeking access to the terminal or ship for unclear reasons.
Broken lighting. In dark areas, criminals can conduct illicit activities out of sight.
Individuals are in places where they shouldn’t or don’t need to be.

More signals Less signals

With business partners

Goods have no or a strange description. This could be a sign that something is wrong with this cargo.
A customer wants to pay in cash or through someone else’s account. This could indicate money laundering or drug money.
A customer cannot be found on the internet or emails from a Gmail or Hotmail address. Reliable companies have a professional website and matching email addresses.

Information requests from a customer or colleague that come through unusual channels. For example, about freight documents, PIN codes, or the status of goods.
A customer comes across as unprofessional and has little knowledge of the industry and the goods being imported/exported.

More signals Less signals

Protect your organization and employees

Here’s what you can do:

Ensure that your physical security is in order and regulate who has access to which location and when.
Know who is entering your premises. Consider suppliers or temporary workers. What areas of your company can they access?

Check who has access to which information. Shield data from individuals who do not need it for their role.
Appoint a confidential contact person. Regularly communicate about what this person can do for employees.

Establish an internal reporting procedure and communicate regularly about it. This way, employees always know where to go if they have seen or experienced something suspicious.
Know how your employees are doing. Show interest and be alert when they become vulnerable due to personal circumstances. For people with, for example, financial problems, the temptation to make easy money is even greater. Make problems discussable and offer help.
Know who you’re doing business with and stay alert to signs of criminal activity. Does a customer suddenly want to pay in cash or do you always have access to the cargo and now suddenly not? This could be a sign.

Do you have (sub)tenants on your premises? Check in advance who you’re doing business with and legally document agreements. Maintain contact to keep an eye on what’s happening.
Protect employees from corruption and its dangers. Invest in training and raising awareness among employees.
Check out our training offerings here or request advice without obligation.
Review your business processes. Functions related to data, HR, finance, or logistics and planning are of interest to criminals. We have developed a free resilience scan that provides insight into the risks within the organization and possible measures. Contact us if you want to know more about this.

More actions Less actions

Reporting is important

It is important that you report immediately if you suspect criminal activity. Customs, police, and/or Royal Military Police can then take action. Employees are the eyes and ears of your organization. Therefore, encourage employees to report suspicious situations. Ensure a clear reporting procedure and communicate about it regularly.

More about reporting

There is a Dutch and English reporting card that explains how to report. Additionally, there is a card available in Spanish, Portuguese, German, Polish, and Russian that explains how the 112NL app for non-Dutch speakers works. Download the cards below or request a printed version for free.

Donwload reporting card

Request printed reporting card

Afbeelding over hoe je iets kunt melden doormiddel van een stappenplan

Who are we?

Mainport Sea Ports Zeeland – West-Brabant is a collaboration between governments and entrepreneurs. Together, we combat undermining crime in the ports of Moerdijk, Vlissingen/Borsele, and Terneuzen. Read more on the ‘about us’ page.

About us

How can
we help?

Do you have any questions about combating undermining crime in your organization? Feel free to contact us. We are here for entrepreneurs in the seaports of Moerdijk, Vlissingen/Borsele, and Terneuzen. We have developed products to help your organization and employees become more resilient.

Training ‘Recruit-proof in the port’
Employees learn about drug crime in the port and how to defend against it.
Security Awarenesstraining
Employees learn how criminal transports work, how to recognize them, and how to report them.
Toolkit resilient organizations
We are currently developing an
E-learning module on recognizing and reporting crime in the port.

Contact

Strengthen your organization

Strengthen your organization

How we help: recognizing signs, reporting, and support

What can you do?

What can you do?

Recognize signals

Recognize signals

Make your organization resilient against the influence of criminals

Among employees

On-site

With business partners

Protect your organization and employees

Protect your organization and employees

Here’s what you can do:

Reporting is important

Reporting is important

Who are we?

Who are we?

How can we help?

How can we help?

Strengthen your
organization

Strengthen your
organization

How can
we help?

How can
we help?