Advanced X-ray image interpretation training

2026-07-22

Member States located at the Eastern border of the EU face issues with large-scale smuggling of cigarettes and other goods, which presents substantial damages to the economic interests of the Union and its Member States. Bordering with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, Latvia is geographically positioned in a way that makes it a convenient transit country for offenders to move smuggled tobacco products further to other EU Member States. Use of X-ray equipment plays an important role in fight against smuggling of illicit goods and providing cost effective solution at performing customs controls. The project aims to have the best possible impact from the X-ray equipment and strengthen the ability to fight cross border crime by up-to-date control methods, provide favorable conditions for entrepreneurs, speed up border crossing as well as maintain and develop international cooperation between customs authorities in combating crime. The overall objective is to protect the financial interests of the EU and strengthen operational capacity of Latvian customs and increase effectiveness of customs controls in order to detect and prevent the movement of illicit tobacco products and to prohibit the importation of illicit goods in the EU. To ensure sustainability of the BAXE project (Development of joint data exchange network between X-ray scanners used by customs services of Baltic States, a unified network for the exchange of information about vehicles crossing national borders and mechanism of control and information exchange) implemented in cooperation with Lithuanian and Estonian customs under the HERCULE III (2015-2017) program, to enhance efficient inter-cooperation between Baltic Customs authorities and synergy in cross-border crime detection on EU level.

Latvia

2026-02-01