Capital news

Community eyes help Customs Watch

The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP, Minister for Home Affairs and Justice
Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Minister for Home Affairs Brendan O’Connor today launched Customs Watch, a dedicated hotline for both industry and members of the public to report suspicious activities to Customs and Border Protection.

Mr O’Connor said Customs Watch was a valuable next step in Customs and Border Protection’s capabilities in protecting Australia’s border.

“The Customs Watch number - 1800 06 1800 - is answered by experienced Customs and Border Protection officers 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Mr O’Connor said.

“No matter what time it is, your information could be the key to the seizure of drugs, weapons or other prohibited imports.

“You do not have to leave your name, as Customs and Border Protection can take information anonymously.”

Customs Watch is an amalgamation of two existing community participation programs - Frontline and Hotline. The integration of these two programs will better support Customs and Border Protection’s intelligence-led, risk-based intervention approach to detect and prevent threats at the border.

“Customs and Border Protection officers do a fantastic job at our ports, airports, mail centres and patrolling Australia’s vast coastline, but they can’t be everywhere,” Mr O’Connor said.

“Industry and community members have an important role to play in preventing criminal activity at the border.

“By building strong partnerships with industry and the community, Customs and Border Protection is better equipped to deter criminal behaviour, identify vulnerabilities at the border and prevent them from hurting Australia’s national interests.”

Mr O’Connor thanked Australian industry and the general public for their ongoing support of the program.

“Information from industry and the public has led to the detection of hundreds of kilograms of illicit drugs and precursors, illegal weapons and other prohibited items that endanger community safety,” Mr O’Connor said.

“During 2010/11 the work of Customs and Border Protection officers resulted in almost 5,000 illicit drug or precursor seizures weighing over 4.7 tonnes. Already this financial year we have seized in excess of a tonne of illicit drugs and precursors.

“Now with one direct number to call we are making it easier for industry and members of the public to provide information about suspicious activities to Customs and Border Protection.”

Suspicious behaviour can be reported to Customs Watch on 1800 06 1800 or through the internet site at http://www.customs.gov.au/customswatch/customs_watch_form.asp

More information on Customs Watch is available at http://www.customs.gov.au/customswatch

What to look out for:
Suspicious Behaviour
The person is:

• Overly nervous, evasive and refusing reasonable assistance,
• Attempting to conceal their identity,
• Preferring to settle accounts early, or
• Enquiring about Customs, Police or other Law Enforcement agencies’ activities.

Suspicious Activity
The person is:

• Interest in specific locations,
• Insisting on paying in cash only,
• Making unusual purchases, or
• Carrying unusual equipment or hardware.

Suspicious Goods
Are they:

• Misdescribed, misspelt or have incorrect information on them,
• Labelled in an obscure manner,
• Damaged, modified or tampered with,
• Inconsistent in weight as to the description that has been provided, or
• Emitting an unusual odour.

What to Report
Customs and Border Protection is interested in information about:

• Importation of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals
• People smuggling
• Terrorism

And preventing the importation of these goods, as well as:

• Illegal and dangerous weapons
• Performance and image enhancing drugs (steroids)
• Illegal importation or exportation of currency
• Illegal importation and exportation of fauna
• Illegal pornography and child abuse images, and
• Counterfeit goods.

Just a small piece of information could lead to a big seizure.

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