Customs Processes Record 9.2 Million Passengers

Customs Processes Record 9.2 Million Passengers

New New Zealand Customs Service processed a record 9.2 million-plus passengers including 2.5 million international visitors, who contributed $6.7 billion to the NZ economy last year.

Customs' Airports Manager, Roger Smith, said that while passenger growth was fairly slow at the beginning of 2006 the number of international visitors ended up exceeded industry projections. "We saw the numbers in this sector grow by a significant 5.9% in October and 7.1% in November."

Mr Smith said Customs Officers processed 96% of these passengers within its 45-minute target. "In the interests of border security we also searched approximately 45,000 travellers' luggage leading to numerous seizures of drugs, counterfeit items and other prohibited goods," he said.

"This is no mean feat - a combination of efficiency and agility in our officers at the border make this enormous task of processing millions of people possible."

In 2006, Customs broadened its reach by working with the Ministry of Justice and NZ Police to identify fine defaulters and alerted to IRD students leaving the country with student loans.

Mr Smith said Customs would continue to process passengers as quickly as and thoroughly as possible. "Our role is to protect the border and ensure the community has reasonable expectations about ease of travel and processing times. Thanks to the profiling skills of our officers and our ability to pre-screen travellers we have been able to reach our target of processing over 90% of passengers within 45 minutes. "

ENDS

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