Customs officers

[Tullaren]

Hi! Looking for collegs around the world! So if yoou are a customs officer or have a link to website so please let me know.
Check out my website about Swedish Customs, in swedish (english version on its way). www.svenskatullare.se - swedish customs officers. On that website you can see picture of officers, drugdogs, vehicles, siezurs. You can wright something in my Gestbok (G

[JohnKelly]

Hello Sweden, this is Australia calling.:)

Welcome to The International Law Enforcement Forum of Officer.com

We have many Law Enforcement Officers from around the world who visit this Website and I am sure that in time you will meet a fellow Customs Officer.

I am a State Police Officer in Australia.

Could you please recheck the URL that you gave for Swedish Customs as it appears to be a Dead Link.

Cheers.

[Tullaren]

Sorry, the right addres is www.svenskatullare.se

[Sleuth]

Welcome,
I retired from U.S. Customs after 27 years as an Investigator (Special Agent). I served in Boston, San Diego, was a Lead Instructor at our Academy in Arizona for 9 years, and ended my career on the border Southwest of Tucson, Arizona.

I had the opportunity to teach Israeli, Guam, Saipan, and Tinien Customs officers (the last 3 are U.S. Territories in the Pacific Ocean). I have met Customs officers from Austraila, New Zeland, the UK, Italy, Canada, and Mexico. I never got to Sweden on the job.

While there are some local (national) differences, we all face the same problems of undervaluation, smuggling, and illegal exports. Only the volume seems to be different. I used to sieze marajuana by the 500 pound lot, while the UK and Australian officers got shiploads at a time!

And, of course, the US/Mexican border is the only one in the world where there is a land border between a 1st world and 3rd world country.

So welcome aboard!
Sleuth

[Tullaren]

Thank you, JohnKelly and Sleuth for your reply.
It is allways nice to meet fellow officer from around the world!
Hope that we "see" eachother again soon here om this forum.

Cheers
Nick

[Tullaren]

When i visited NY in september'03, I met one customs officer at the Newark airport, his name was John, I think.

I was preapernig for two month to talk to fellow officers wheen I arrive to Newark, but well there I got blackout:(

I dont know why?
I wanted to take a picture, but I forgot even to tell him that I work at the Arlanda airport.

maybe next time...

[Sleuth]

Tullaren, are you a uniformed officer (what we call an Inspector), or an Investigator, or some other position?

I have been to two Customs Museums, one in Israel, and one at U.S. Customs Headquaters. Do you know of any others?

Are any of your Customs Officers armed? If so, what do they carry.
What is the most common item smuggled into Sweden?

Thanks,
Sleuth

[Tullaren]

http://www.svenskatullare.se/grip1.jpg

Yes, I work in uniform (most of the time)
but some times we have to appear whitout.We do not carry any wepons to the uniform no more, only investigators (Glock 19).

The most common item (drugs) I would say cannabis. but even cigarettes. Amfetamin is very common as well.

About Customs museums, I am only been to swedish one, in Stockholm.
the swedish museum is a small one, but nice, so you are welcome to visit

[Big Iron]

Tullaren,

Do your Customs and Immigration work together? Here in Canada as well as the U.S., these departments have joined together.

[Tullaren]

Customs and immigration dont work togther, not the same department. Immigration is under police.

[NelsonCC]

Hi guys...

wow first post for me :)

Im a customs officer in australia...only been in the job for about 4 months....so two months to go of my training..

Oh yeah, I love my job :)

[Tullaren]

Welcome to Forum!
Nice to meet a fellow officer!

[Sleuth]

G'day mate, and welcome aboard. Do you get to work 'the barrier' in the same city where you hired on?

[bastia]

How many officers in the Swedish Customs?

[Tullaren]

About 2500

[KiwiRuss]

Hi fellow Customs officers,

I'm a relative newbie in the New Zealand Customs Service, been in the job 14 months. Our website is www.customs.govt.nz

I work at a seaport, examining import & export cargo, giving clearances to ships which arrive at our port first, and those ships which leave NZ from our port directly. Also training up on the immigration side of things, as Customs has the role of dealing with arrivals and departures at the border.

I'm interested in seeing how other Customs agencies work.

Regards
Russ

[Tullaren]

I'm interested in seeing how other Customs agencies work.

Regards
Russ

Well, welcome to Stockholm, I'll show you around! :)

[Tullaren]

How many officers in the Swedish Customs?


We now down to 1500 plus some civil workers.

[Tullaren]

I have been to ... Customs Museums... at U.S. Customs Headquaters.
Thanks,
Sleuth


In Washington D.C.?

[Sleuth]

Yes, just across the street from the Smithsonian Institution, our "national museum'. This was some time ago, and post 9/11 it may have been closed. It tended to come & go with different Commisssioners of Customs.

[Tullaren]

Thanks Sleuth!

[JohnKelly]

Here is some news that may be on interest to Customs Officers.

Our Maritime Customs Officers are already armed.

Australian Customs Officers To Be Armed.

Land-based Customs Officers will be armed for the first time to boost security at Australian ports in response to terrorism threats.

Justice and Customs Minister Chris Ellison said Melbourne would be the first port to have the patrol and response units, with 10 armed officers to start work in the next two months.

Their number will increase in the lead-up to the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, with other armed officers set to start at Sydney, Brisbane and possibly Fremantle and more remote docks in following months.

A total of 80 armed Customs Officers will become available nationally and will be deployed according to risk levels at each port.

At Melbourne's docks on Tuesday, Senator Ellison said an "increasingly hostile environment" had made it necessary to arm land-based Customs Officers for the first time.

"We've seen increasingly a threat to Australia's borders and, in the current environment, customs officers are doing an ever increasing job which is important for the protection of Australia's borders," Senator Ellison said.

"We've seen dangers which have been presented in a number of areas and so for the front-line customs officer this is an important initiative.

"It's important that they be sufficiently resourced to carry out what can be often a dangerous task."

He said it was necessary to arm Customs Officers because investigations in remote areas and also areas where organised crime and potential terrorism could be involved were often potentially dangerous.

Officers will carry Glock 17 semi-automatic handguns, personal body armour, batons, capsicum spray and handcuffs, with the use of arms to be dictated by provisions in the Customs Act, similar to principles governing the Australian Federal Police.

The Australian Federal Police have helped train the Customs Officers, with training and equipment so far costing $275,000.

"We certainly have clear directions that the arms that have been issued can only be used in a defensive situation and in the same circumstances as would apply to law enforcement," Senator Ellison said.

"Customs Officers do have the power of arrest in relation to Customs Act offences and they can carry out an arrest under force if required."

The officers will be able to enter private premises on land and ships at sea, as well as patrolling wharves.

Asked if threats had been detected on Australia's docks to date, Senator Ellison said there had been some "investigations on our wharves which have involved sensitive issues" and that there had been "some experiences where I believe that having our Customs Officers armed would have been beneficial.

Australian Customs Service (http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4221)

[NorthernBorder]

Tullaren,

As Big Iron said, customs and immigration were combined here in Canada in 2003 along with a variety of other federal agencies and departments in the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, somewhat akin to the creation of Department of Homeland Security in the United States.

Under this larger umbrella, customs, immigration and food inspection are now called Canada Border Services Agency. Existing officers from the legacy organizations still work in their specific areas, but new officers coming out of our training college in Quebec from now on are being trained in all areas.

Here's the agency website:

http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/menu-e.html

[Sleuth]

It's about time. I cannot imagine asking "Abdul" to come along quietly and give up his AK47 UNARMED!

[Gabber]

nnnnnnnnnnnnn

[Tullaren]

Dead thread? Not many customs officers here.

[Sleuth]

I guess there is not much going on. I did see that Canada Border Security is going to be armed. About bloody time!

[NorthernBorder]

I guess there is not much going on. I did see that Canada Border Security is going to be armed. About bloody time!

Our sentiments exactly, Sleuth! First training classes began about two weeks ago. Duty weapon is Beretta PX4 Storm 9mm with a rumour that the CX4 carbine will follow. Thanks for the support from a brother to the south.

[Tullaren]

Good news for Canadian officers! But why Beretta PX4 Storm? Strange weapon, never fired one.

And Sleuth, nice to hear from you again.

[Sleuth]

Northern Border? Canada has a Northern Border? With who? On the West you have Alaska (That's ours), no one to the East, U.S. to the South, but who is on your Northern border???


Looks like you need a name change to Southern Border of the Great White North!

Hi Tullaren!

[NorthernBorder]

Northern Border? Canada has a Northern Border? With who? On the West you have Alaska (That's ours), no one to the East, U.S. to the South, but who is on your Northern border???


Looks like you need a name change to Southern Border of the Great White North!


Well, since it's a US forum and the centre of the world is the good ol' US of A, I didn't want to confuse you all! :D

FYI, there actually ARE northern operations...mostly clearing arctic cruise ships. Then there was the one crazy Romanian who sailed a 14 foot boat across 1000km of open water from Greenland...

[Sleuth]

Actually, the center of the Earth is in California, just outside Yuma, Arizona!

No, really. Some guy built a pryamid just off the highway, and declared it the center of the earth! Hey, it has to be someplace. He makes money off the tourists, so good for him.

[finaljustice]

What's Up ...checkin in from the Southeast sea port, I am a U.S. Customs Officer saying be safe to all brothers and sisters in Customs in the world