Introduction In 2021, global trade reached a record high of US$28.5 trillion, with the World Economic Forum predicting faster growth in the coming years than that seen in the previous decade. Cross-border e-commerce alone is projected to grow from $300 billion in 2020 to $1 trillion by 2030 2 . Source: World Economic Forum, McKinsey Supply chain disruptions tied to COVID-19 and the war in the Ukraine have triggered shortages in everything from baby formula to the raw materials needed to build semiconductors, leading to pressure from politicians and private industry on customs organizations and ports authorities to move cargo in and out faster. All this has raised the pressure on customs officials to a boiling point. They need to ensure accurate assessment of tariffs, prevent illicit goods from crossing their borders, and ensure safety - and all while processing goods faster. However, faster clearance makes it more difficult to prevent illicit trade and criminal activities. Bad actors are using increasingly sophisticated technology to evade detection. Today’s criminals and terror groups use encrypted communication channels, hide maritime vessel locations through AIS manipulation, and use cryptocurrency to launder money. This combined with the fact that criminal and terror groups are increasingly trans-national and operate across multiple countries, makes it far more difficult for customs officials to detect illicit activities. Most customs-related crimes can be divided into one of two categories. There are types of fraud motivated by the desire to avoid or reduce customs taxes, or to launder illicit funds through trade-based money laundering. Essentially, these are financial crimes. $28.5T $1T global trade volume in 2021 e-commerce volume expected in 2030 3 Intro 2