Customs trains own divers

Press, 21 November 1987, Page 2

Customs trains own divers

The Customs Department has trained its own divers to help fight drug smuggling at the Port of Lyttelton, said the chief customs officer in charge of border protection, Mr Greg Ward, yesterday. He said the department had already trained two officers and a third would join the team. The Customs Department had in the past used private contractors or divers from the Lyttelton Harbour Board or the Police, but the delay in getting divers into the water meant valuable time had been wasted.

The delay in using outside groups meant a day lost whereas the department’s own team could be in the water in an hour. The divers had been .specially trained to search the ' seabed and ships’ hulls — a common hiding place for contraband. “Having our own team means faster response and better security,” Mr Ward said. If the divers did not act quickly a ship could move berths at the port and shift drugs on the seabed or the tide could also move packages, particularly in the Cashin Quay area.