Aberdeen-based Gary Smith Transport has secured accreditation under the UK Border Force’s Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Accreditation Scheme this month, demonstrating the company’s strong commitment to vehicle security, regulatory compliance, and best practice in preventing clandestine entry.
This success was strongly supported by the use of the Aquarius Clandestine Check App, which digitises the official Border Force vehicle security checklist and can be customised to meet the specific needs of different vehicles. The app enables drivers to carry out, record, and evidence inspections at key points during a journey – including the point of departure and after each stop en route – with timestamped, GPS-tagged checks and photographic documentation.
“We have just received accreditation from Border Force Control for their scheme. Your clandestine check app that we currently use, accompanied by your team support, has played a vital role in helping us achieve our goal. As a proud customer for nearly 20 years, Aquarius IT has continued to support my business with excellent technical innovation throughout,” said Gary Smith, Owner of Gary Smith Transport.
For all commercial vehicles travelling abroad, the ability to demonstrate a consistent and well-documented security check process is not just best practice – it’s essential. When Border Force assesses a civil penalty, it considers the evidence a driver and operator can produce – including the thoroughness of vehicle checks, whether it is a first offence, financial circumstances, and whether the operator is a member of the Civil Penalty Accreditation Scheme.
Crucially, operators can still face penalties even if no clandestine entrants are found, if they cannot demonstrate effective preventative systems and proper record-keeping.
Legal expert Laura Hadzik, Partner and Head of Commercial Road Transport at JMW Solicitors, highlighted the app’s impact: “Evidence from Aquarius’s clandestine check has proved vital in some of our successful penalty challenges.”
About the Border Force Civil Penalty Accreditation Scheme
Membership of the scheme is free, but operators must demonstrate they have a system in place that enables drivers to log and retain records of vehicle security checks. Applicants are also asked how many documents are issued to drivers and how long records are stored.
Operators must also provide drivers with training on how to secure the vehicle and how to prevent clandestine entrants, which can also be evidenced in the Aquarius App.
The Aquarius App’s Clandestine Check provides an effective monitoring system that not only supports accreditation but also delivers a comprehensive, audit-ready digital trail. As checks are electronically logged and securely stored, questions around document issuance and retention are easily answered.
With civil penalties reaching up to £10,000 per clandestine entrant, this technology is proving to be a vital tool for operators aiming to minimise risk, stay compliant, and protect their business.
Find more information about the Aquarius Clandestine Check App.
The Aquarius team will also be on hand to demonstrate the functionality of the App at RT Expo on 24–26 June in Stoneleigh, which is free to attend.
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