Regional Intelligence Liaison Office Middle East Region Riyadh     Foreword: The concept of establishing the WCO Rilo Offices was as a result of the concerns that most WCO member countries expressed. Most custom administrations agreed to the need of exchanging information relating to the smuggling activities of drugs, chemical precursors and commercial fraud etc.,. to implement these tasks a number of regional offices was established to analyze and disseminate information within the framework of customs operation at the international level. Due to the geographical location of the region and the statistics that showed an increase of drug smuggling activities in this area there was a need   to organize and establish a reliable regional information network that can assure the most effectiveness of such efforts. All countries in the region were requested to support the regional office in order to facilitate the collection, analyze and dissemination process of these information among the member countries of the region and with other drug enforcement agencies at the local and international level and with other WCO member countries. The council of ministries issued resolution No.45 Of 17/03/1418h. to establish the WCO Middle East Regional liaison Office. The office since established issued used to hold annual meetings for the National Contact Point Offices in an aim to discuss the achievements of the year and suggest work plans for the next year. The regional office as representative of the world customs organization (WCO) coordinates its activities with the wco secretariat to facilitate the work of these countries in exchanging information relating to customs enforcement activities. The office issued many alerts that had a positive impact of many seizures the has been made in the region. Rilo Middle East Office is pleased to provide information about the role and tasks of the Rilo office located in Riyadh city and the national contact point offices in the following member countries: 1-Bahrain 2-Jordan 3- Kuwait 4- Lebanon 5-Oman 6- Qatar 7- Saudi Arabia 8- Syria 9- UAE 10- Yemen Rilo Middle East Office in Riyadh provides also its service to all agencies that requests technical assistance in the field of customs enforcement activities by obtaining the requested information from the WCO Secretariat or through other worldwide Rilo offices. There are eleven global rilo offices operating now in the following regions:-       1-Eastern Europe-Poland 2-Western Europe-Germany 3-Western Africa-Senegal 4-Central Africa-Cameroon 5-North Africa-Morocco 6-Eastern/Southern Africa-Kenya 7- Middle East-Saudi Arabia 8-Asia/Pacfic-China 9-South America-Chile 10-CIS Countries-Russia Federation  11-Joint intelligence office (JIO) Caribbean                                                                              Best Regard, Abdullah  S.  Al-Orf Director, Rilo Middle East Rilo Middle East Office Tele: 478 7889      Fax: 478 5887 P.O. Box: 22631   Riyadh: 11416 E-mail: rilo-riyadh@yahoo.com