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Edwards, HazelWorkdays. A Day in the Life of...a CustomsOfficer.ISBN-1-875759-07-795

31p.; For related documents, see CE 072 594-603.Draw Publications, P.O. Box 643, Kew, Victoria 3101,Australia ($7 plus $3.50 postage and handling).Books (010) Guides Classroom Use InstructionalMaterials (For Learner) (051)

MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.Adult Basic Education; *Adult Literacy; Adult ReadingPrograms; *Career Education; Career Exploration;Compliance (Legal); Foreign Countries; High InterestLow Vocabulary Books; Immigration Inspectors; LawEnforcement; Laws; *Literacy Education; *OccupationalInformation; *Quality of Working Life; ReadingInstruction

IDENTIFIERS *Australia; *Customs Officers

ABSTRACTOne of a series of work-based interviews about

occupations in Australia, this booklet presents a personal interviewwith a customs officer about her job. The following questions areanswered: what the customs officer does, what she likes about it,what kinds of things are smuggled, how various kinds of drugs andanimals are smuggled, and how they are detected. Cartoons are used toenliven the material, and a glossary listing 26 words is included.Although designed to be used in literacy classes with adult newreaders, the booklets are also appropriate for use with elementaryand secondary students in career exploration and career education.(KC)

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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be madefrom the original document.

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'1 21

Workdaysa day in the life of ...

a Customs Officer

Name Rita Ashwell

Aged Mature

3

Workdays

Workdaysa day in the life of...a Customs Officer

Copyright Hazel Edwards 1995

Draw PublicationsP.O. Box 643 Kew Victoria 3101AUSTRALIA

ISBN 1 875759 07 7

Illustrations by Will GoodwinDesign and layout by Draw PublicationsPrinted by Surrey PrintingPublished and distributed by DrawPublications

42

Workdays

WHAT KIND OF WORK DOES RITADO?

Rita's job is to check people and baggage foranything illegal.

WHERE DOES SHE WORK?

She works at the International Airport. She'san expert people-watcher.

WHY ARE PEOPLE WATCHED?

Sometimes foolish passengers try to avoidpaying duty on goods. So they try to hidegoods in their luggage. And they don'tdeclare them on the form.

WHAT KIND OF FORM DO YOUMEAN?

"A 'customs declaration form' must be filledin by everybody entering the country",explains Rita.

3 5

Workdays

WHAT IS THE FORM FOR?

Certain dangerous goods are not allowedinto Australia. Drugs, weapons and evensome animals, plants and seeds areforbidden.

WHY ARE THESE GOODSFORBIDDEN?

This is to protect people. But it's also toprotect Australian wildlife from disease.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCEBETWEEN THE JOBS OF CUSTOMS,QUARANTINE AND IMMIGRATION?

Customs, Quarantine and Immigration staffwork together. Goods entering or leaving thecountry interest Customs. Sometimes a dutyor tax must be paid on legal goods. Illegalgoods are stopped.

6

4

Workdays

Anything which might carry disease interestsQuarantine. Immigration is interested in whypeople enter the country. They checkpassports carefully.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT DRUGSMUGGLING?

Customs officers have strong views aboutdrug smuggling. "Every time we stop drugsgoing through, we save lives", admitted Rita."If you've seen someone badly affected bydrugs, you'd never be a courier".

WHAT IS A COURIER?

A person secretly carrying illegal drugs iscalled a courier. If they get caught, they arefined or sentenced to prison.

DON'T SOME COURIERS DO LEGALWORK?

Not all couriers are carrying somethingillegal.

57

Workdays

WHAT DO THE LEGAL COURIERSCARRY?

Some couriers carry special letters orpackages in brief cases chained to their arms.

WHY?

The chains are locked for safety. Often theycarry important business letters betweencountries.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE WHOSMUGGLE LIVE BIRDS?

"Bird smugglers are dealers in death. 80% ofsmuggled wildlife dies in transit", says Ritawho loves animals.

HOW ARE THE BIRDS SMUGGLED?

"It's so cruel. Sometimes drugged birds arepushed into plastic piping. They are jammedinto suitcases. If the birds wake up insuitcases, they attack each other becausethey're scared".

6

Workdays

HAVE YOU FOUND ANY SMUGGLEDBIRDS?

"Once I heard a squeak. It came from thespeaker box of a tape recorder. I opened it.Four drugged birds were hidden inside. Theflight had been re-routed. One bird hadwoken up early", said Rita. Those birdsmugglers were caught by Customs.

ARE RARE BIRDS ALLOWED TOLEAVE AUSTRALIA?

Rare birds are not allowed to leave Australia.Bird smugglers try to take rare birds out ofthe country. One woman had birds' eggstaped to her body. She was caught. So shesmashed the eggs which had chicks inside.

WHO WANTS THE RARE BIRDS?

American bird collectors like Australiancockatoos.

7 9

Workdays

WHAT WOULD BE PAID FOR A RAREBIRD?

They're willing to pay around $US20,000 perbird. That kind of money tempts a smuggler.

WHAT WOULD A BLACK COCKATOOCOST?

One rare, black cockatoo will fetch around$US75,000 on the black market.

WHO WOULD BUY COCKATOOS ATTHAT PRICE?

Rich private zoo owners might buy these.Private collectors might buy special birds oreggs to build up their collection.

WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND OTHERTHAN BIRDS?

"I have found a smuggler with druggedreptiles strapped to his chest", said Rita.

810

Workdays

WHAT ELSE DO THE SMUGGLERSCARRY?

People try to smuggle drugs, currency andeven gold bars. Sometimes they hide illegalgoods in their baggage. Sometimes theycarry illegal goods in their clothes.Sothetimes they carry illegal goods insidetheir bodies. "The stuffers and theswallowers", explained Rita. "If thecontainer bursts inside, they die".

HOW DO CUSTOMS OFFICERSWORK?

International travellers all have to passthrough Customs. "I look for lumps andbumps where they shouldn't be". She issuspicious of people wearing bulky clotheson hot days. Illegal goods may be hidden insecret pockets. Rita looks for something outof place.

11

Workdays

I have to warn you Madam ... we have reasonto believe you are carrying a false bottom.

10 12

Workdays

CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OFSOMETHING OUT OF PLACE?

"A well dressed man in a business suitcarrying an old backpack on a flight fromBali, doesn't add up. Bali is usually aholiday place. The good suit and the oldbackpack don't fit together. So we'd take acloser look".

IS IT DIFFICULT TO TELL BETWEENA NERVOUS, INNOCENT PERSON ANDA GUILTY ONE?

"Body language tells us a lot. The waysomeone walks. How they behave whenasked questions. With experience, we cantell". But Rita wouldn't tell us everything.

WHY NOT?

She doesn't want to warn smugglers howCustoms catch illegal couriers.

11 13

Workdays

DO SMUGGLERS TRY TO FOOLCUSTOMS?

"Smugglers use chilli or perfume to cover thesmell of drugs. But the drug-detector dogsalways find the drugs".

HOW DO THE DRUG-DETECTORDOGS WORK?

Dogs smell the baggage. And they smell thepassengers. The dog-handler trains the dog.Finding drugs is a game to the dog. The dogis not addicted to the drugs.

ARE THERE DOGS TRAINED FOROTHER KINDS OF WORK?

There are 'passive' dogs who checkpassengers. If the dog smells somethingsuspicious, he sits quietly beside thepassenger. There are 'frantic' dogs whocheck baggage. If the dog smells somethingforbidden, the dog gets very excited.

1412

Workdays

13 15

Workdays

HOW IS THE 'FRANTIC' DOGCALMED?

The handler distracts the dog with a rolled up'dummy'.

WHAT DOES THE DOG-HANDLER DOTHEN?

Then he rewards the dog with a big gamewhile other Customs officers move in.

WHAT DO THE CUSTOM OFFICERSDO?

Then Customs officers act.

WHERE ARE SOME OF THE PLACESSMUGGLERS HIDE GOODS?

"Diamonds have been hidden in shoes.Currency was hidden inside a stuffed teddy.Rare birds eggs were carried in a bra. Thiskept them at body temperature. Druggedlizards were taped together. Star tortoises

Workdays

about 10cm long were hidden in jacketpockets. False bottoms in suitcases forcurrency or steroids. Shoulder pads withdrugs inside", Rita explained.

ARE STEROIDS BANNED DRUGS?

Steroids are banned drugs.

HOW ARE THE STEROIDS USED?

Some body builders and athletes use themillegally.

WHY?

They want to build big muscles quickly.

ARE THERE SIDE EFFECTS?

There are bad side effects like nose bleeding,going bald and nightmares.

15 17

Workdays

ARE THE STEROIDS LEGALINTERNATIONALLY?

Internationally, some sports people use them.In some countries it is legal to make and usesteroids.

WHAT ABOUT AUSTRALIA?

In Australia, it isn't.

WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?

Since 1991, steroids are not allowed intoAustralia.

CAN FAKES BE MADE?

Fake steroids have been made. And animalsteroids have been 'passed off for humanuse. That's dangerous too.

18

16

Workdays

WHERE HAVE STEROIDS BEENHIDDEN?

Some steroids were hidden in a rolled upnewspaper. Others were hidden in vitaminbottles.

ANYWHERE ELSE?

The box holding a stereo was x-rayed. Theyfound steroids inside.

WHAT ABOUT LARGER QUANTITIESBEING SMUGGLED?

Smugglers also hid steroids in a suitcase.

WHERE?

It had a false lining. The false lining hid$30,000 worth of steroids.

19

17

Workdays

WHAT HAPPENED TO THESUITCASE?

The suitcase was so well made, Customs keptit.

WHY?

Now they use it when teaching new Customsofficers.

WHAT WAS UNUSUAL ABOUT THESUITCASE?

The case was heavy. That's why Customsnoticed it.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE COURIERS?

Steroid couriers will be prosecuted. Finesare set at three times the street value of thedrugs.

2018

Workdays

51r@MS

19 21

Workdays

WHAT OTHER AMOUNTS OF DRUGSWOULD SMUGGLERS CARRY?

Another passenger had 30kg of heroin rolledinside Chinese scrolls in two suitcases.

WHAT OTHER PLACES WOULDDRUGS BE HIDDEN?

A Customs officer asked a passenger to openduty-free bottles. They were sealed andcorked. But inside the bottles, hanging in thealcohol were the drugs.

DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE?

A trick was done with an LP record. Thedrug dealers sliced an LP record in half.They put drugs between the two sides andjoined them together.

22

20

Workdays

WHAT OTHER REASONS DO PEOPLESMUGGLE GOODS FOR?

"Europeans try to break quarantine bybringing in 'a piece of home' in bulbs, soiland plant cuttings. Asians try to bring infood", said Rita.

HAVE ANY FUNNY THINGSHAPPENED?

A woman passenger put a jar filled with largedried flies on the counter. Asked what shewas going to do with the flies, she pointed toher throat. The flies were to catch the frog inher throat!

WHY IS IT ILLEGAL TO BRING INPLANTS?

Smuggling grapevines is illegal becausediseases may be spread. One woman tried tosmuggle a grapevine into Australia.

21 23

Workdays

HOW WAS THE GRAPEVINEDETECTED?

It was twisted in the shape of a coat hanger.She had her coat on the hanger. It hung overher arm. But the Customs officer noticed it!

WHAT HAPPENS TO GOODS TAKENBY CUSTOMS?

If a passenger 'declares' the forbidden goodssome may be returned if appropriate permitsare obtained. Others are destroyed or re-exported.

WHAT HAPPENS IF A DECLARATIONISN'T MADE?

If you DO NOT declare plant or animalsitems in your luggage, you may beprosecuted.

24

22

Workdays

CAN YOU BE FINED OR JAILED?

Fines go up to $50,000. Or you may besentenced to jail for up to ten years.

DO PEOPLE TRY OTHER WAYS TOGET ILLEGAL DRUGS INTO THECOUNTRY?

Sometimes, illegal drugs are posted throughthe mail.

WOULD YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE?

A set of ten calendars had LSD in the pages.The drugs were worth $300,000. In between,were sheets of blotting paper.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The senders were caught. So were thepeople who got the calendars.

2523

Workdays

WHAT ABOUT WEAPONS?

Ever been 'wanded down' at the security

scanner?

WHAT IS A SECURITY SCANNERUSED FOR?

The officer is checking for weapons.Customs has a collection of 'illegal' weaponswhich have been taken from passengers.

WHAT KIND OF WEAPONS?

Butterfly knives. Nun-chucks. Guns.

CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHINGELSE?

There are strange 'gifts' such as stuffedcobras with venom glands and fangs.

2624

Workdays

ARE THERE SOME ITEMS THAT ARENOT ALLOWED IN?

Often people buy gifts which are dangerous.

IS IT DELIBERATE?

Not usually. They don't think.

WOULD YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE?

Toy guns which fire tiny balls could blind achild's eye. Of course, Customs keep these.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUTWORKING FOR CUSTOMS?

"No day is the same", smiled Rita.

2725

GLOSSARY

Workdays

illegal not right or unlawfulexpert skilledfoolish sillyduty extra payment to bring

goods into Australiadeclaration statementdangerous unsafeprotect take care of or guarddisease illnessQuarantine isolation of animals for a

period of time to preventdisease from beingpassed on

passports identification papers fora citizen of a nation

affected altered or impairedtransit moving from one place to

anotherjammed squashed togetherreptiles animals like snakes,

lizards, and crocodilessuspicious suspects something is

wrong

2826

Workdays

GLOSSARY CONTINUED

backpack

chillibaggagedog-handler

currencysteroids

prosecutedappropriatesecurity scanner

Nun-chucks

venom

a bag designed to carryon the backhot spicecases or luggageperson who is in chargeof a dogmoneyillegal drugs to buildbody musclessued in courtapt or suitablean electronic frame todetect metal objects onpeople2 wooden sticks linked bya chainpoison

2927

Hazel Edwards'

Workdaysa day in the life of ...

A collection of simply written, work-based interviews, togive an insight into others' workstyles for beginningadult readers. The subjects were chosen to cover a rangeof occupations and workplace situations in Australiaincluding the self-employed, franchisee, professional,trade and semi-skilled.

'A day in the life of ...' series focuses on twenty people invaried occupations by profiling them through thetechnique of interview.

Mail Orders: Draw Publications,P.O. Box 643, Kew, Victoria, 3101 AustraliaPhone: 61+3+715 1552

Ouantity Price($A)2nd SeriesPolice Constables 7.00Customs Officer 7.00Family Garage Owner 7.00Fruiterer/Truck Driver 7.00Plumber 7.00

Set of Five 30.001st SeriesGardener : franchisee 6.00The Chef 6.00Vet Nurse 6.00Computer Salesman 6.00Offshore Platform Worker 6.00Set of Five 25.00

Australian orders :- allow $A6.00 Postage & HandlingOverseas orders :- allow $Al2.00 Postage & Handling

30

Workdays is based on real people in realjobs. The aim of the series is to providesimply written, interesting and relevantmaterial for new readers.

Author Hazel Edwards' method ofresearching is by interview and visiting theworkplace.

Her previous one hundred books haveincluded adult literacy, scripts, non-fiction,crime and childrens books. Currently she isresearching other workplaces for morebooks in the ' day in a life of ' series.

Gardner : franchisee Policethe Chef Customs OfficerVet Nurse Family Garage OwnerComputer Salesman FruitererOffshore Platform Worker Plumber(current series) (in production)

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