Customs cuts random cargo inspections, new focus on high risk

In what it calls a "refined approach" to cargo inspections, Customs said yesterday that its Container Examination Facilities (CEFs) located at the major Australian box ports would now refocus on high-risk cargo.

The new tactics take effect from July 1.

It is a shift from the existing two-pronged approach, which saw Customs targetting random containers and those identified as involving a high-risk sender, receiver or point of origin.

Customs said inspections would now be based primarily on risk.

The new strategy has been welcomed by Australia's import industry which has long called for an approach which uncovers more illegal activity without slowing the flow of the rest of the nation's cargo.

The change will see the number of air cargo inspections fall by 75% to 1.5m consignments.

Similarly, sea cargo inspections will drop 32,500 teu to just 101,500 teu a year, down 25%.

Customs expects less import declarations to be filed in the 2009/10 financial year, but export declarations and cargo inspections are likely to remain the same.

Customs will carry out almost 300 audits of import companies and almost 40 audits on export companies next year.

The Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia has welcomed the decision to move towards an intelligence-based approach rather than one focused on the number of inspections.

"The CBFCA's position has been that inspection and examination efforts should be prioritised on a risk basis with the introduction of nationally-consistent practices to minimise intervention to legitimate trade and industry," the CBFCA said in an industry notice.

The CBFCA has called for the change to be accompanied by accurate and timely data.