The customs division of the Fiji Revenue and Customs Authority has uncovered and confiscated illicit items from our ports of entries this year.
These include items brought in by cargo ships and other vessels that grace our shores throughout the year and also by air.
FRCA chief executive officer Jitoko Tikolevu confirmed the authority received a lot of complaints from our customs officers on prohibited items.
“The number of reports are huge and though we would like to keep it confidential, we know that we must always be one step above perpetrators,” he said.
“It’s normal that people will always want to beat the system and because of our limited resources – we continue to rely on referrals from Australia and New Zealand customs.”
Mr Tikolevu said because Fiji was the hub of the Pacific and shipping routes to Australia, New Zealand, South America and the Pacific Islands people wanted to overlook us because of our limited resources to get their illegal items into the different ports.
“It still comes by sea and air but we often detect cases every now and then both big and small,” Mr Tikolevu said.
The authority also has a good relationship with other agencies such as the border Police and the Fiji Navy, something which Mr Tikolevu believes has enabled them to trace suspicious actions and movements.
Meanwhile, FRCA has put on hold the purchasing of a container screening equipment because they did not want to rush into the deal.
“We want to make sure the due processes are done properly. It is an expensive equipment so we are approaching the deal carefully,” Tikolevu added.
“And on top of that we don’t even have the expertise.”