A day in the life of a Customs Officer at Brisbane Airport

Today, I am on morning shift in the arrivals hall. My working day starts at 5am and finishes at 3:30pm. The present block of morning shifts will be followed with a block of night shifts – starting at 3:15pm and finishing at approximately 1:45am.

Today, I had to get up at 3am to allow myself time to travel to the airport, park and make my way up to the arrivals area. When I arrive, I find that the first flight has landed ten minutes earlier than expected, so the day starts immediately with a full jumbo flight of passengers already waiting for us to clear them. There are approximately 3000 people expected into the airport over the next few hours.

We work to a government standard requiring us to clear an average of one passenger every 40 seconds. In that time, I am required to verify the authenticity of the travel documents, match the passenger's identity to the documents, put the details into the computer system and deal with any irregularities. I am also expected to decide whether the passenger is a risk in terms of Customs and a number of other government agencies, such as Quarantine and Immigration and with regards to infringements of laws to do with such things as trade practices, wildlife and objectionable material. I am also required to ensure that the written and verbal declarations made to me meet all the requirements of the law. This is quite technical and can form the basis of legal action, so I may be required to give evidence in court about this one day.

I assist many passengers throughout the morning. These include Australian residents returning home, passengers from non-English speaking backgrounds, business and holiday travellers, migrants and large tour groups. Many are tired and frustrated from their long journeys, and all they want to do is get through the airport and on to where they're going. I am aware that my speed and accuracy is monitored and also that I am expected to balance the community-protection aspect of my position with the timely and efficient facilitation of the travelling public and to do so professionally and in a friendly manner.

By 11am, the arrivals hall is full of passengers awaiting clearance. Despite this, I am called away and sent to Outward Passenger Control to assist with a congestion of passengers in the departure hall. A number of flights are due to leave within the next hour and assistance is required to ensure that these passengers make their flights.

After a very busy hour, the flow steadies and I am move back to my position at the arrivals hall. While processing yet another flight of passengers, my supervisor receives word that the baggage examination area requires assistance. The baggage hall is full and the queues are long, so I start out by helping with crowd control, and then help manually load baggage into the x-ray facilities.

I am instructed by the x-ray operator to search the baggage of a passenger because of an inconsistency in the x-ray image. I ask the passenger standard questions and begin my examination. During the exam, I find a quantity of undeclared quarantine items that are considered a significant risk to Australia. Since it is an offence to import these, I ask the passenger to accompany me to an examination room where, with another customs Officer, I turn the recording equipment on and question the passenger and examine the goods in question.

As with the passenger, everything I say and do in this situation can be produced as evidence in court and I have to ensure that all legal requirements are met. Once the passenger has left the hall, I go the office and begin work on a complex brief of evidence that will form the basis for a decision regarding legal action. I am required to complete all necessary paperwork before finishing for the day.

When I eventually leave, it is with the knowledge that there is an early arrival tomorrow morning and that I need to be here, ready to start again, at 4am and that it's likely to be just as busy!

Дата добавления: 2015-11-15