Customs goes high-tech in security war

Customs staff were remarkably unconcerned about the firearms, explosives and suspicious white powder found at Auckland Airport yesterday.

So was Customs Minister Rick Barker.

And for good reason: Customs staff had planted the items as part of a demonstration of two new pieces of equipment.

One of the devices - a fixed-site cargo inspection unit - can screen large containers holding just about anything, including live animals.

The other - a multi-purpose screening unit - is a van which drives around slowly, screening anything from vehicles to rows of containers stacked two high.

The two German-made machines worth about $3.5 million will be used for inspections from this week.

Customs inspections manager Bill Perry said the machines would save staff hours of work.

It would normally take two days to search a sea freight container, but the new equipment meant that would take two hours.

The equipment was launched yesterday at the Auckland air cargo inspection facility and is among technology worth up to $20 million being purchased for the Customs Service.