Customs authorized the Federal inspection of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games torch charter flight. This flight brought the Olympic flame from the Panathenean Station in Athens to the United States on December 4, 2001. The arrival of the Olympic flame in Atlanta, Ga., began the countdown to the start of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The torch is carried across the United States in the "Torch Relay" to its final destination in Salt Lake City.

Olympics security

Customs Office of Field Operations (OFO) worked for three years with the Salt Lake Organizing Committee in planning security for the XIX Olympic Winter Games, which will be held from February 8-24.

Most of the joint planning was focused on Customs core mission of passenger and cargo clearance, with an enhanced enforcement focus on the terrorism threat and on trademark and copyright infringements. The 2002 Olympic Winter Games will be the largest ever staged hosting over 3,500 athletes.

Customs will continue to operate under Alert Level 1 during the Olympics, and has temporarily assigned 111 Customs inspectors along the Northern Border to support the intensive anti-terrorism operations. OFO has also received a request from the U.S. Secret Service, Major Events Division, for 100 Customs inspectors to staff six designated airports in support of the enhanced airspace security plan. The inspectors will conduct voluntary consent searches of all accredited aircraft seeking permission to arrive or depart from one of the six designated airports within the 45 nautical mile radius around Salt Lake City. In addition, 24 Federal Aviation Administration and 12 State and local law enforcement personnel will support Customs in this intensive anti-terrorism operation.

At designated national special security events, Customs has the unique role of enforcing airspace security. The U.S. Customs Service was selected for this mission by the Secret Service because of the unique skills and experience Customs employees have acquired on America's frontline. OFO is responding to this tasking, even though it falls outside its core mission, because it is vital to our national security.

For the 2002 Winter Olympics, the Tucson Air Interdiction Branch, Office of Investigations, is the lead air asset coordinator, with other air branches lending personnel and equipment. The mission of airspace security is to prevent the disruption of Olympic events in all venues by an airborne threat. The objectives of the Customs Enhanced Airspace Security Plan for the Winter Olympics are to enhance public safety, detect and sort potential air threats, provide early notification of intrusive activities, and deter unauthorized airspace entries from the Temporary Flight Restriction Zone.