Protecting Our Borders

Did You Know?

In a first for border protection in Australia, Crime Stoppers Victoria, Australian Customs and Border Protection Service and Victoria Police signed a joint initiative in March 2010, presenting a united front to detect criminal activity within Victoria and crossing our borders.*

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service manages the security and integrity of Australia's borders.

Each month, the Australian Customs and Border Protection:

• processes more than 1 million air passengers arriving in Australia on more than 6,000 flights
• processes over 1,600 ships arriving from overseas
• inspects or examines more than 10 million letters and 1.8 million overseas parcels
• detects or seizes a wide range of prohibited items including weapons, plants, animals, drugs, dangerous goods, fake luxury brand goods, videos/DVDs, CDs and publications that contain offensive material, and more.

Border protection also includes the movement of illegal products such as tobacco, wildlife, drugs, weapons and other items within Australia.

*View the media release here

How You Can Be Affected

Everyone in Australia can be affected in some way by the importation of these prohibited items.
The impact of illegal drugs on the community contributes to criminal activity, the trafficking of wildlife and plants can result in the introduction of new diseases, and cheap fake luxury goods can undermine the business of legitimate designers, manufacturers and retailers.

Buying Goods Over The Internet

Many other items available for sale on the internet are prohibited or restricted under Australian customs legislation. Duty and taxes may also be payable on items brought in from overseas.

If you are thinking of buying something over the internet from overseas visit the Australian Customs and Border Protection website www.customs.gov.au first and check that it is not a prohibited or restricted good. Prohibited goods can range from laser pointers, herbal preparations and medicines to items made from protected species e.g. ivory products.

How You Can Help

Do you know someone who has smuggled a prohibited item into Australia, or is planning to bring in prohibited items?

Do you know someone who is planning to import a prohibited or restricted good, or on-sell these goods here in Australia?

If so, you can confidentially call Crime Stoppers or file an online information report. Visit our section on Report Crime Information Here to find out what happens when you call the Crime Stoppers hotline and how to make an online report.

If you see something, say something – 1800 333 000