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Border Patrol (2002) Season 15 Episode 7
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00:00countries, drugs, illegal immigrants, do you want to tell me the truth, pests, it looks like it's a type of
00:05and disease, we have another live insect, but the nation's protectors are ever vigilant, customs,
00:12immigration and biosecurity officers work day and night to keep us safe, if we declared it,
00:17there would be no issue, the front line of defence, New Zealand's border patrol.
00:33This time on border patrol, we would like to recreate ourselves, immigration speak to two
00:39Hungarian travellers with few plans, clean our minds and bodies, but are they really as clean
00:44as they claim, there was some positive iron swabs on their banks, there's something wrong on the
00:49inside, a cushy concealment has customs officers tracking a serial smuggler, we know that there's
00:55at least two more consignments, so three in total. Then, it's a big one. Super-sized souvenirs
01:01under the spotlight at biosecurity. Looks like a wooden weapon. And customs find not a silver
01:08lining, but a red and gold one. Cigarettes? Yes.
01:21Today at Immigration New Zealand, senior border officers Johar and James are preparing to interview
01:26two Hungarian nationals who've arrived from Budapest for a two-week holiday. Several details of the
01:32men's story has put the officers on alert. They have just left New Zealand in December after spending
01:39a good two to three months. And coming from Hungary and after spending three months and then coming
01:45back again after a couple of months, it's a bit unusual. There was also a concerning discovery made
01:51during the men's interaction with customs. There was some positive iron swabs on their bags,
01:56ketamine and cocaine. A full search of their luggage was conducted with no drugs found, so now the officers
02:03need to speak with the men to clarify their intentions while in New Zealand. Tell me about
02:09all the reasons why you've come to New Zealand today. Honestly, we had a great time last year. We
02:15would like to recreate ourselves, relax, train a bit, clean our minds and bodies. All right, so you're
02:24coming here for two weeks. Relax, train, clean your minds, clean your bodies. So tell me about what your
02:30plans are for the next two weeks. We don't have any specific plan to be honest, but we plan to
02:35go to
02:35Rotorua. Otherwise, we really just want to enjoy the city, go to the hiking points. It's mostly for
02:42my friend. He's the hiker? Yeah. I like it, but without him, I wouldn't go for sure.
02:50In another interview room, Senior Border Officer Johar speaks with the man's travelling companion in an
02:55effort to corroborate the pair's travelling plans. I've noted that you have not booked any tickets to
03:01Wellington, nor to Rotorua. Your entire accommodation is booked at one place in Auckland City. Can you show
03:10me your outward ticket details? Okay, so you're going to fly from Auckland to Sunshine Coast? We plan to go
03:21to Brisbane to see the zoo there.
03:24James needs to establish the man's ability to fund his stay while in New Zealand. We have about,
03:29in total, like 8,000 euros. Most of our money is on my friend's account.
03:35So I'll just confirm, that's in a joint bank account for you and your travelling companion to share
03:40together. It's not, it's his bank account. Oh, it's his, it's his bank account. But my money is also his
03:46bank account.
03:49You were unable to show me any proof of your employment now. I don't, I don't work in here. I'm
03:57holiday. Yeah.
03:59Johar and James head back to the immigration office to discuss what they've learned.
04:05I can't verify the employment. Fact is that you can't tell me any specifics,
04:14apart from the fact that you're going to play by the air. Probably the most concerning thing at this
04:19stage for me is the fact that they tried to check in at Shanghai to come to Auckland with no
04:24ticket to
04:25leave New Zealand. So they purchased this ticket to the Sunshine Coast. Um,
04:31the cheapest they could find. Yeah, yeah. Oh, I don't think it's going to go to the Sunshine Coast.
04:35I think they've come here for reasons we're going to find out about.
04:43At Auckland's air cargo inspection facility, customs officers have singled out a package for the wrong reasons.
04:49It's got similarities to other consignments that we've had that have had, um, what we found to be
04:54pseudoephigene tablets within the package. So we just need to put it through the x-ray and have a look.
04:59Let's go. An x-ray will give customs officers Bethan and Cam a better idea if the package really is
05:05what it says on the label. On the declaration it states that it should be a plus diarine pillow.
05:11You can see here the outline of the pillow casing. Then we've got this thicker, more dense consignment
05:19within. You can see it's more tablet formed. So let's have a look inside.
05:26So when you open it up straight away, we see what should be the pillow and a blanket.
05:33There's obviously something more to that pillow. You can feel there's something wrong on the inside.
05:38It's very light up here, but very dense down the bottom of the pillow.
05:41The design says soft and cuddly, but the weight and feel says hello contraband.
05:45We're definitely suspicious that there's something a little bit more sinister in here.
05:56Yep, you can take your handbag and come and sit here please.
05:59This morning customs officer Hannah is talking to a Chinese national
06:03after an x-ray at biosecurity revealed a concealment in her luggage.
06:08Have you bought cigarettes? Cigarettes? Yes.
06:13Hannah wants to know why the passenger didn't declare the cigarettes when she did declare food.
06:18You've filled all of this out. You've ticked yes here.
06:21But for the tobacco you have ticked that you do not have any tobacco.
06:27You don't know.
06:29The passenger's English is limited. The arrival of a translator means Hannah can get closer to
06:34the answers she needs.
06:37So she is unsure about how many cigarettes she has.
06:39So the cigarette is a gift from a friend.
06:42Friend, okay.
06:43She is aware there's a cigarette, but she don't know how many.
06:46We're just going to have a look.
06:47The traveller opens up about the cigarettes, but stays quiet on why she failed to declare them.
06:53So I can feel that there's cigarettes in here.
06:56So that means that they're concealed, which is an offence.
07:08Can you feel cigarettes in there too?
07:10Okay.
07:11There's cigarettes in this suitcase as well.
07:15Travellers to New Zealand can bring up to 50 cigarettes or 50 grams of tobacco
07:19duty-free concession. Any more must be declared and duty and GST paid.
07:25Are you happy to ask her why she put the cigarettes in the lining of her suitcase?
07:31She said it's her friend that put it in.
07:34Okay.
07:35The passenger seems happy to put the blame on her friends while taking none of it herself.
07:40So someone gave a cigarette, then another friend hid them in her suitcase.
07:44Yeah.
07:44So according to her, the friend said it's more convenient to put it back in here,
07:48to put it in there because she's got none of those secrets in itself to put it on top.
07:54The woman's answers aren't revealing much and on closer look at the cigarette packets,
07:58something strikes Officer Hannah.
08:01Normally they'd be 10.
08:03The search reveals one packet short of a couple of cartons.
08:06Are there more cigarettes to be found?
08:15Back in the customs red zone, Officer Hannah is searching the luggage of a Chinese national
08:19carrying undeclared cigarettes in the lining of her suitcase.
08:22The passenger is claiming her friend packed them and customs are concerned there may be more.
08:29There's one short of a carton. Can you just see if she knows where that other packet is?
08:33Definitely not in there.
08:38The final packet is found in the woman's handbag, not concealed, but not exactly revealed.
08:44Has she got any more anywhere?
08:48Can you just ask her directly, did you try to evade customs paying duty?
09:01I mean by the looks of it, she's been in and out quite a lot of times, but okay.
09:07The passenger is still claiming she didn't understand the declaration,
09:10but a check of immigration records reveal she's travelled into New Zealand enough times to know the regulations.
09:17Hannah runs the woman's story past her supervising officer.
09:20She did not understand the declaration. It's been lost in translation and she normally just kind of copies
09:28a declaration from other people she knows or other travellers. That's her explanation.
09:35The fact that they're concealed shows a little bit of intent.
09:39Because the cigarettes were concealed and they were not declared and she's well travelled,
09:44so she will know the rules. It hasn't worked out very well for her.
09:48The cigarettes were seized, the passenger was given a $400 infringement and was required to pay
09:54$468 in duty and GST.
09:56This is going to cost you $800, $900 today. Okay, bye-bye.
10:08At Christchurch International Airport, biosecurity New Zealand officer Kanal is talking to a solo
10:14traveller off a flight from Fiji.
10:16Banana chips, taro leaves and… And coconut cream.
10:21Yeah. Yeah.
10:22Keke senga. Oh, okay.
10:24It's like a sweet sauce and flour and that. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
10:28The woman's favourite foods get the all-clear.
10:31I inspected the foods and everything, that was fine, and then I asked what's in this box,
10:36and then she said wooden artificial products.
10:40The woman declared her food items not so much these wooden Fijian weapons.
10:44I asked her why you didn't declare this, um, and she said I totally forgot about this.
10:50Untreated wooden products can pose a biosecurity risk. It must be declared. However,
10:55the passenger has done her homework when it comes to taking the items out of Fiji.
10:59Oh, have you got Phytos?
11:00Declarations? Oh, Phytos, yeah.
11:01No, because you can't take these down the country unless it's been…
11:03Oh, Phytos, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:04Yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:05E-Phytos are certificates issued by the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji for the international trade of their plants and plant
11:12-based products.
11:13All good, just their stuff.
11:14They just need to be inspected because often they can have insects and stuff in them.
11:17Okay.
11:17So he'll just take them into the lab and inspect them in if they're all good.
11:21But just remember next time to declare them on your card.
11:23Yeah, no, that's fine.
11:23Yeah, under that plant product section.
11:25Sorry about that.
11:26Despite the correct paperwork, Canal still has to double-check the items are clear of biosecurity risks,
11:32like bugs, soil or disease. First up, a chiefly fly swat.
11:37So this is the male from coconut threads. She said it's for high chief in the culture.
11:46We're just looking here for any insect or any biosecurity risk for us.
11:52So this one is all right.
11:54From fighting flies to fighting foes.
11:57Yeah, it looks like a wooden weapon, but there is no any risk that I can see.
12:05No any hole or insect damage.
12:09These items may be ceremonial, but Canal's inspection is all business.
12:14And there's a turtle design.
12:17That's a big one.
12:22Luckily, there are no sign of any biosecurity hitchhikers and the items get the all clear.
12:28All are looking good, so good to go.
12:32Luckily, we didn't find any insect in there and the product got released and she was happy.
12:38No worries.
12:45Back at Immigration New Zealand, two Hungarian friends have been referred for separate questioning
12:51after a swab of their luggage tested positive for narcotics.
12:55We have about in total like 8,000 euros.
12:58Most of our money is on my friend's account.
13:01Keeping your money in your friend's bank account may not be the usual,
13:04but there are a number of things about this travelling duo that have sparked James and Johar's interest.
13:11The customs told me that you had three phones in your possession.
13:15Yes, I have my main girlfriend who I live with, but I also have some more.
13:21Some more?
13:23Girlfriends, but side girls, you know.
13:26So one phone is my home phone, let's say, but my girlfriend is there.
13:30Yep.
13:30I have another one for my other girls and I have a brand new one that's not even used,
13:35but it's to buy a New Zealand and Australia SIM card and have a local phone.
13:40Do you have any other girls in New Zealand?
13:43No.
13:44Okay.
13:45So I've just got to ask you a series of questions about what we call character.
13:50Immigration officers will try to build up a picture of a passenger's character
13:54based on personal history to determine how they're likely to behave if let into Aotearoa.
14:00But it's kind of like an honesty test because if we know stuff about a passenger and they lie about
14:07it,
14:07then it kind of makes the whole process think, well, why is this person really coming into New Zealand?
14:13Have you ever been convicted of an offence?
14:17No.
14:18Have you ever been arrested by any authority for any reason?
14:23Yes.
14:24Okay.
14:25Tell me about that.
14:27Marihuana possession.
14:29A little mushroom, magic mushroom also, but mostly marijuana.
14:33Okay.
14:33Have you been in trouble with the law for any other reason?
14:36I had some small cases also with marijuana, but those were really small, like just one joint or something.
14:44Ever since I work at the same company, I have a serious job.
14:47Good salary.
14:47I never do such things ever since.
14:50That's a good one.
14:51The passenger is claiming his days of using narcotics are behind him.
14:55But the earliest swab of his luggage suggests otherwise.
14:59Customs, as part of their process, they do what they call iron swabs.
15:03Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:03I saw it.
15:04And he told me that they found coke and ketamine on it.
15:09I'll be honest with you, coke, I can imagine.
15:11I don't use it personally, but I have friends and girls in my company who do.
15:16But ketamine is very strange for me.
15:19I never did ketamine.
15:22How often would you use coke?
15:23Very rarely.
15:24Okay.
15:26When was the last time?
15:28Uh, New Year's Eve.
15:30New Year's Eve.
15:31The man admits to having used cocaine just three months ago,
15:34despite earlier claiming those days were behind him.
15:36James continues the questioning.
15:39What about weed?
15:40When did you last use weed?
15:42One week ago.
15:44I'm a weed-smoking person.
15:46In your home country.
15:47What's the status of marijuana use?
15:52It's not legal.
15:54Okay.
15:55It's been determined that marijuana is illegal in his home country, Hungary.
15:59He's been arrested several times for it.
16:01Throwing the use of cocaine.
16:03And there's clear evidence that he doesn't sort of follow the laws of his own country.
16:07So, how can we as immigration is going to be satisfied that he's going to follow the laws of our
16:12country?
16:17At the Auckland air cargo inspection facility, customs officers Bethan and Cam are inspecting a puffy pillow that they suspect
16:24might be hiding a lumpy secret.
16:26He can feel there's something wrong on the inside too.
16:30All right, we'll bring it over here.
16:32So this is just so that we can confirm that our suspicions of pseudo before we extract it.
16:40Bethan is used to extracting all sorts of complicated concealments, but not today.
16:44You can see here we've got some small tablets.
16:47They've literally just tipped it all in.
16:52So this is the first offender.
16:54So now that it's finished its test, we just wait for the results and it will
16:57show us what the substance of the tablet is if it's within its database.
17:03So there we go.
17:04So we've got a result for pseudoepidrine.
17:06Now that we know what it is, we can go forward with the extraction.
17:13Pseudoepidrine is a precursor in the manufacturing of a class A drug, methamphetamine.
17:23It's looking like a bad night's sleep for the exporters of this pillow.
17:28Now we're quick and look down.
17:29All right, can you see any?
17:33All right, pretty confident.
17:34Cool.
17:35Now if you pick that up, that's definitely not two kilos worth.
17:38Sort of pillow should feel like.
17:40The stuffing's out.
17:41Time to see just how much was packed inside.
17:44So we've got 1.84 kgs of pseudoepidrine tablets.
17:51This consignment had a street value of $128,000.
17:55We know that there's at least two more consignments, so three in total.
17:58And it's a really good result for today because we've been able to take
18:01nearly five kgs or over five kgs worth of pseudoepidrine off the streets.
18:05Information was recorded for Customs Intelligence.
18:07All drugs and contaminated products were destroyed.
18:15Back at Immigration New Zealand, senior border officers James and Johar
18:20are questioning two Hungarian travellers whose luggage returned a positive ion swab result.
18:25I told your colleagues also that sometimes I happen to smoke weed.
18:29How often would you use coke?
18:31Very rarely.
18:32Once or twice a year.
18:33Once or twice a year.
18:35What I'll do is I'll have a discussion with my colleagues.
18:37I'll come back and I'll let you know what Immigration New Zealand has decided, all right?
18:43That's quite interesting.
18:44He, uh, told me that he's a law-abiding citizen.
18:49But if you're using narcotics in your home country and it's illegal,
18:52that kind of suggests that maybe he's not a law-abiding citizen.
18:55James lays out the facts in a peer review with other officers.
18:59He was caught using marijuana.
19:00He was also caught with marijuana back in 2012 and then in 2015.
19:03And then to top it off, he also uses cocaine.
19:07Senior officer Johar has also found several points of contention
19:10during his interview with the other Hungarian passenger.
19:12I haven't been able to verify some of the records of employment.
19:16Their plans in New Zealand seems a bit late.
19:19At this stage, it doesn't really seem that they are a general visitor to New Zealand.
19:24His bona fides are still a concern.
19:28Do you know how I see it?
19:30Party boys using drugs with extras we've yet to discover.
19:35And the extras are probably going to be in relation to criminal activity.
19:39If you throw all these things in,
19:40and the fact that he didn't even have a ticket to leave New Zealand
19:43and he was made to purchase one en route by us just doesn't make sense.
19:48So I think I'm going to put these concerns to him now
19:50and just see what he has to say about them.
19:55Given the fact that you've been here before and you're here for two weeks,
19:59we'd expect you to know what you want to do here as a tourist.
20:04Today you've told me that you want to go hiking,
20:06even though you don't like hiking because your friend likes hiking.
20:09You want to go to the gym because your friend goes to the gym.
20:13You've traveled a long way from Hungary to come for reasons that don't add up.
20:20I really just came here to enjoy myself, to build myself, to become a better man,
20:26not do stupid things.
20:29But the man's protests are too little, too late.
20:31I will let you know that Immigration New Zealand has made a decision.
20:36We would consider the likelihood of you using narcotics in New Zealand to be extremely high.
20:42The Immigration New Zealand is not satisfied that you are a genuine visitor to New Zealand.
20:47Therefore, we have no option but to refuse the entry permission.
20:53The Hungarian national's plan to clear his mind and body will have to wait.
20:57But my friend is coming also or he stays.
21:00I'm not happy that you are a general visitor to New Zealand.
21:04And therefore, my decision is to refuse the entry today.
21:08It's a tough pill for these passengers to swallow, but one of them at least is already moving on.
21:13There's no chance I come back here again.
21:16I have enough countries where they are happy for me to spend my money.
21:22So the passenger and his traveling companion have been refused entry into New Zealand today.
21:26We'll make arrangements for them to go back to Budapest on the next bubble flight.
21:29And I wish them best luck.
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