The Fiji Revenue and Customs Service is set to introduce a new yacht tracking app and advanced screening technology to help in Fiji’s fight against illicit activities.
While questioning FRCS CEO Udit Singh during the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Economic hearing on the FRCS 2023-2024 annual report, Opposition MP Premila Kumar noted that the report highlighted about 18 drug cases and asked how organisations such as FRCS could intensify efforts to catch more people involved in such activities.
Singh says they are the custodian of 12 mile nautical limit of sea and receive 600-700 yachts a year and FRCS is working with the water police, Fiji Navy and the Police Force.
He says they are also acquiring new assets including boats, technology, drones and outposts that they are putting together alongside the Navy and the Police to have a concerted effort.
Singh says they are looking at putting some of these in the islands so that they can have clear points of activity when there are incoming craft.
He confirms they will be launching the yacht app that ensures that all of the vessels that are coming into our waters effectively gives FRCS a certain amount of notice, so they can work with other agencies to ensure that they are legitimate and that they can be brought into the country.
The CEO confirms they are starting to ramp up activity in the airports to look at luggage hold CT scanning.
He says they want all luggage that is coming off the aircraft to go through a scan before it goes onto the carousel.
Singh says they are also looking at low emission body screening as people go past, much like the COVID thermal activity that was conducted.
He further says FRCS is strengthening efforts to monitor mail and freight activities by working closely with Police, the Australian Border Force, New Zealand Customs and the Ministry of Immigration to improve intelligence sharing, targeting and coordination.
Singh adds there is a holistic approach they are taking and, with the Boards of Management, we are forming a governance group with the Police, Immigration, and also the Navy and the Army to look at how they can collectively have a concerted effort.
