Policing the flow of goods. Understanding the nature, role, and place of customs in the security landscape.

Korte beschrijving

Over the past decades, the activities, responsibilities, and powers of customs authorities have evolved significantly. As ‘gatekeepers’ in today’s international flow of goods, they are no longer exclusively engaged in the collection of revenue but also increasingly in the protection of the broader safety, security, and health of the state and its citizens. Surprisingly, however, where criminological debates and theories on non-traditional security providers and plural policing are on the rise, the developments of customs as an emerging actor in the (inter)national security field are mostly neglected. Based on qualitative methods including semi-structured interviews, observations, field visits, and document analysis, this study aims to explore the Belgian customs administration from a criminological perspective. To this end, the project firstly aimed to gather comprehensive insights on customs as a policing actor, paying attention to their functional, legal, organisational, spatial, and sectoral dimensions. Secondly, the research examined the interactions of customs with other policing bodies at (inter)national levels by analysing their structural and relational dynamics. In doing so, the distinct policing provision by a unique public non-police body is demonstrated.