A major factor in achieving increased revenues was the initial deployment of ten Mobile Assurance Teams, or MATs. Initially each team comprised:

• One Crown Agents' advisor;
• Two Bulgarian Customs officers;
• One Bulgarian Police Officer (a member of the Ministry of Interior Directorate for Combating Organised Crime).

Despite being employees of different agencies, MAT members started working as an integrated unit operating throughout the country and around the clock. The teams are deployed on the basis of intelligence received or risk perceived. They work independently of local Customs offices.

All of the Bulgarian staff of the mobile teams received classroom and on-the-job training in the use of anti-smuggling devices and techniques and in valuation, risk assessment, document examination, information and intelligence, chain of evidence and search and interview practices.

Each team is equipped with an all-road vehicle and a range of detection and anti-smuggling equipment - including the revolutionary I-Seal - all provided by Crown Agents under the programme. The I-Seal, which was developed and produced by Crown Agents, proved to be a valuable and powerful tool in helping to expose and eliminate fraud. It is a reusable electronic seal that can be fitted by Customs officers to a vehicle or container, or even to a warehouse door, to protect the security of goods - particularly those in transit. It contains a microchip to store details of the goods being carried and which records any attempt to tamper with the device. For more information visit www.i-seals.com

Such has been the success of the Mobile Teams that, following the signing of the new contract, Crown Agents increased the number of units from 10 to 15. The additional five teams also included officials from the Bulgarian Tax Administration and concentrated on the control of high value goods.