The Swiss Border Guard controls people and merchandise crossing the Swiss border, while combating smuggling and trans-border crime. It also participates in international missions. Furthermore, the Swiss Border Guard supplies agents to the Federal Office of Police, the agents being tasked with preventing incidents on board aircraft and at airports. In its entirety, the Swiss Border Guard is tasked with enforcing over 150 national laws. In essence, the Swiss Border Guard works within the same realm as the customs authorities of Switzerland, with both sides cooperating on a regular basis. The Swiss Border Guard has three strategic areas of work:
Customs related duties.
Security and policing duties.
Migration related duties.
These strategic areas fall within the original legal framework of the Swiss Border Guard. However, customs related duties are heavily prioritised and customs law is relied upon to fulfil all additional duties. Additionally, the cantons of Switzerland can and have delegated additional competences to the Swiss Border Guard. The Swiss Border Guard has no own aircraft, therefore the Swiss Border Guard is supported by the Swiss Air Force with Helicopters and the RUAG Ranger.
Customs duties
Customs duties fulfilled by the Border Guard include:
The fight against smuggling, including the smuggling of prohibited goods such as weapons, narcotics etc.
The collection of taxes and duties such as VAT, customs, and road taxes.
The fulfillment of economic, commercial, health and environmental police tasks, such as the fight against undeclared work, the trade in counterfeit branded goods and medicines, as well as the trade in protected animal and plant species.
Security Police duties
Security duties include:
The investigation of persons, objects and vehicles and the detection of counterfeit documents to combat cross-border crime.
The control of cross-border cash transactions to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.
Security operations to ward off criminal acts on board Swiss aircraft in international commercial aviation.
Migration duties
Migration duties include:
Passport controls at the Schengen external borders of Switzerland at the international airports of Geneva, Basel, and Lugano-Agno., as well as random checks at the land borders and inland document checks near the border.
The prevention of illegal entry, departure or transit as well as illegal residence.
The fight against smuggling and trafficking.
Aircraft
The Border Guard do not have their own aircraft, but are supported with Helicopters and UAVs from the Swiss Air Force
Organisation
The Border Guard is divided into the following three hierarchical levels:
Strategic level
The Border Guard Corps Command based in the Customs Directorate in Bern forms the strategic level. It is divided into the sections staff services, operations, technology/logistics, teaching association, and special formation. It is managed by the Chief Border Guard . The border guard corps command performs strategic and operational tasks. These include the planning and management of national and international operations, national large scale training, foreign assignments, and training. Additional elements of management support include:
The Situation and News Center of the Border Guard in the Central Customs Directorate in Bern evaluates u. a. national and international reports, processes and disseminates findings and compiles information bulletins.
The training centers of the Federal Customs Administration in Liestal and the Competence Center for Security and Intervention in Interlaken provide training and further education.
Operational level
The seven border guard regions form the operational level. They are provided with the corresponding Roman numerals and a place name and defined according to geotactic aspects. They are led by border guard commanders. Border guard regions carry out operational tasks that are not performed centrally. If required, this also includes the supraregional planning and management of major events and operations, large scale training, and foreign assignments. In addition to the Border Guard Command at the Swiss Federal Customs Administration in Bern, there are seven regional commandos, called Border Guard Regions:
The original eight border guard regions were introduced on 1 January 2007 as a replacement for the previous four border guard divisions. The Border Guard Region VII with command at Zurich Airport was dissolved on 1 April 2011, and divided into border guard regions I and II.
Tactical level
The 44 border guard posts and four operational centers of the border guard regions form the tactical level. They are led by post chiefs. The border guards ensure service operation and daily service execution. The following organizational units serve as important elements of leadership support:
The four operational centers in Basel, Chur, Chiasso and Geneva are responsible for routine work.
Coordination Centers, the two Police and Customs Co-operation Centers in Chiasso and Geneva enable a rapid exchange of information between Switzerland and Italy and France respectively.
Ranks
The rank insignia on the shoulder straps of the Border Guard correspond to the military ranks of the Swiss Army. The shoulder straps are additionally provided with the ray cross or Roman numerals. The beam cross indicates carriers assigned to the Border Guard Corps command. The Roman numerals correspond to the respective border guard region in which the guard works.
Equipment
Border Guards are issued Heckler & Koch P30 V4 with RUAG ACTION 4 9MM ammunition. Additionally, Heckler & Koch MP5 are available either on some border crossings or are loaded onto patrol cars at the beginning of a shift.
