CUSTOMS OFFICERS TO GET ARREST POWERS TO COMBAT DRUG TRAFFICKING

New proposals to tackle the flood of drug trafficking in this country have
been made in an internal review by the Revenue Commissioners.

Customs officers would have increased powers to arrest persons ``on
suspicion of having committed an offence'' when a garda is not available,
under recommendations by a review group for the Revenue Commissioners.

These powers currently exist on an informal basis, but the new
recommendations would clarify the situation and introduce uniformity, a
Revenue spokes-person said.

The report was carried out by senior management within the Revenue
Commissioners and has already been considered by the Revenue board.

A number of their decisions have already been implemented, while in other
areas, further analysis and investigation is required.

The spokesperson declined to comment on which of the proposals will be
implemented, saying it is too early to tell.

The report reviews the operations of the Customs National Drugs Team (CNDT)
and is part of an ongoing general review of the Revenue Commissioners'
operations to ensure maximum efficiency.

Listed in the report is a plan to introduce round-the-clock surveillance at
the main points of entry into the country, particularly seaports like Dun
Laoghaire, Rosslare, Cork and Dublin and Waterford.

The report also recommends 24-hour surveillance at airports like Dublin,
Cork and Shannon, along with some provincial airports.

It advises the replacement of five existing inflatable boats currently
operated by Customs with three larger and faster inflatable craft. .

Customs enforcement teams are to be set up or, where they already exist,
strengthened to stop the ever-increasing traffic in drug smuggling. The
teams are to be set up at all ports and airports.

The report recommended that sniffer dogs, used to find drugs in passenger
luggage, should be replaced with dual-purpose sniffers which would be able
to find drugs on the person.

According to the spokesperson, the CNDT is determined to build on its
success in combatting the importation of illicit drugs. Over pounds 50m of
drugs have been seized since 1993 and many traffickers put behind bars.