Praneeta Prakash 
[Photo: FILE]
The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service is strengthening coordinated border enforcement efforts with multiple agencies to disrupt drug trafficking, money laundering and other forms of illicit trade entering the country.
FRCS Chief Executive Udit Singh says they are taking a holistic approach to address growing concerns around organised criminal activity.
He highlighted this while making submissions before the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the FRCS 2023–2024 Annual Report.
Singh says enforcement efforts are being expanded across maritime borders, air cargo, passenger screening and postal and freight systems.
“We are the custodians of the 12-mile nautical limit. We will receive up to six, seven hundred yachts a year. And there’s the small craft, the vessels. So that is an area that we’re working with in terms of working with other agencies. We’ve got the water police. We’ve got the Navy and certainly the police as well in terms of policing that space.”
Singh says they are also rolling out a yacht notification application, which will require incoming vessels to provide advance notice of arrival.
“We’re also launching our yacht app that ensures that all of the vessels that are coming into our waters effectively give us a certain amount of notice. So we can actually work with other agencies to ensure that they are legitimate and that they can be brought into the country.”
FRCS is increasing inspections of container cargo and developing a dedicated container examination facility to strengthen the detection of illicit goods.
