Customs

Feb 9, 2009

This week on Customs, a suspicious passenger makes a bolt for the exit, a live snake is discovered in luggage at Dublin Port, an undercover operation halts a cigarette smuggling scam at Dublin Airport and in Cork the customs anti-evasion unit chase down UK registered cars. In Dublin Airport, undercover officers track two people who they suspect to be running a cigarette smuggling operation via the skies of Europe to supply the Irish black market. Veteran Officer Declan Smyth leads the covert customs team who follow the suspicious pair to the airport car park where they find some surprising contents in their luggage. Over at Dublin Port, Officer Martin Rogers meets an unusual passenger. It's his first encounter with a Colombian Rainbow Boa - and he's not too impressed.

Feb 16, 2009

This week on Customs, it's all hands on deck as officers search a huge cargo ship for illegal goods, the team at the Port check out an army of Welsh rugby fans and in Cork the hunt is on for illegal fuel users. Robbie's anti-evasion unit track illegal fuel users in Cork where a check point targets people using green agricultural diesel in their cars. At Dublin Port, Martin Rogers and his team take on a massive cargo ship in a major search operation. With 62 containers on board the job takes its toll on the search unit, who work long into the night. Dog handler Andrea Leamy and her dog Thatcher put 1200 Welsh rugby fans through their paces as they arrive at Dublin Port, and sniffs out a few suspects. Down in Rosslare, a Officer Dinny Lawlor's dog Dillon gets into a state of distraction but the team persevere.

Feb 23, 2009

This week on Customs, a stash of cash turns up in hand luggage at Dublin Airport, the Cork team raid a busy market, the cutter crew search for a bale of cocaine and a roadblock at Dublin Airport nets a haul of smuggled cigarettes. A passenger heading to the UK through Dublin Airport has more than a toothbrush in their hand luggage. Hundreds of thousands of Euro are packed in two plastic bags inside their rucksack. A busy North Cork market is the focus of a Customs team search and they get a result - one stallholder is selling smuggled cigarettes. They seize 6,000 cigarettes and his van, but return the vehicle to him when he pays a fine. Down in Wexford, Customs officers are searching onshore and at sea for bales of cocaine. The Customs cutter patrols the rugged coastline, trying to find the bales in case they wash ashore and fall into the wrong hands. Gardai, Airport Police and Customs officers set up a joint road block at Dublin Airport's only exit. Random searches yield a haul of smuggled cigarettes, some concealed inside the false bottom of a suitcase and thousands more wrapped in the passenger's belongings.

Mar 2, 2009

This week on Customs, the specially-trained Customs dogs step into the limelight. Drugs or large amounts of cash can't escape these canine experts - they check out passengers waiting for planes, buses crossing from the Republic to the North, baggage on carousels at the airports, and sacks full of packages at the mail sorting centre. Dog handler Andrea Leamy and her springer spaniel Thatcher are on border duty at Dundalk Bus Station. Thatcher detects a suspicious bag on board the bus, and afterwards finds a lump of cannabis nearby, possibly discarded by one of the passengers. Cash dog, Storm, is on duty at Dublin Airport and sniffs out €10,000 in a passenger's bag. It's illegal to take this amount of money outside the European Union without making a declaration. The passenger says he wants to buy equipment abroad, and after completing the paperwork he is allowed to continue his journey. At the An Post distribution centre in Dublin, the legendary canine senses come up trumps again when two different consignments of cannabis are detected inside sealed packages.

Mar 9, 2009

This week on Customs, the Airport team stop a man from smuggling thousands of sleeping tablets, another passenger dumps a suitcase and bolts for the exit and up north the border unit crack down on illegal diesel. Martin Rogers and his team carry out dawn raids on houses across Dublin looking for smuggled tobacco. Martin's patch is Metropolitan Dublin and often finding the stash of illegal goods is like looking for a needle in a haystack. At Dublin Airport €40,000 worth of prescription-only sleeping tablets show up in a passenger's luggage. Limovan is taken by serious drug users to assist in coming down off a high. It's only available from a doctor here in Ireland but in Spain you can buy as much as you like over the counter, which is exactly what one Irish passenger did, but got caught bringing in thousands of the pills in their suitcase. Also at the airport, a nervous passenger was spotted by some observant customs officers acting suspiciously in the baggage claim area. He was waiting until all the other passengers went through but a veteran officer wasnt fooled by the oldest trick in the book and pulled the baggage into the X Ray machine. It was full of cannabis. Meanwhile the man tried unsucessfully to bolt for the exit but was tackled to the ground by rookie officer Ken.

Mar 16, 2009

This week on Customs, the Airport team stop a man from smuggling thousands of sleeping tablets, another passenger dumps a suitcase and bolts for the exit and up north the border unit crack down on illegal diesel. Martin Rogers and his team carry out dawn raids on houses across Dublin looking for smuggled tobacco. Martin's patch is Metropolitan Dublin and often finding the stash of illegal goods is like looking for a needle in a haystack. At Dublin Airport €40,000 worth of prescription-only sleeping tablets show up in a passenger's luggage. Limovan is taken by serious drug users to assist in coming down off a high. It's only available from a doctor here in Ireland but in Spain you can buy as much as you like over the counter, which is exactly what one Irish passenger did, but got caught bringing in thousands of the pills in their suitcase. Also at the airport, a nervous passenger was spotted by some observant customs officers acting suspiciously in the baggage claim area. He was waiting until all the other passengers went through but a veteran officer wasnt fooled by the oldest trick in the book and pulled the baggage into the X Ray machine. It was full of cannabis. Meanwhile the man tried unsucessfully to bolt for the exit but was tackled to the ground by rookie officer Ken.

Mar 23, 2009

Mar 30, 2009

Apr 6, 2009

Apr 13, 2009

Feb 3, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a passenger is suspected of concealing drugs in a suitcase, a middle eastern man is carrying sensitive aircraft manuals.

Feb 10, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a suspected drug smuggler keeps changing his story, a man is trying to leave the country with a boy that is not his son and a West Indian man is way over his limit for duty free spirits but that's not the real problem.

Feb 17, 2010

Tonight on Customs, officers face a difficult decision which a Nigerian man says could cost him his life, intel identifies a Jamaican woman as a possible drug smuggler as her story sounds suspect and after a positive reaction from a sniffer dog, a passenger makes a break for the toilets.

Feb 24, 2010

Tonight on Customs, both intel and the dog squad recognize a woman as a drug smuggler but have they got the wrong person, a British passenger flying to Malta is stopped with a bag full of contraband and a Pakistani was about to get married when he's arrested for an immigration scam.

Mar 3, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a passenger has some 'unusual' holiday apparel, the dog squad are interested in a woman and an airline employee is carrying way too many cigarettes but it's what's in his pocket that's more of a concern.

Mar 10, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a Nigerian man has come in from Dubai allegedly for a vacation but his story doesn't add up, a passenger from Canada has arrived with no money, and a young man has some explaining to do - not just to customs officers but his parents as well.

Mar 17, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a routine search of a passenger uncovers a suspicious package, a truckie is refusing to let a sniffer dog in his cab, and a Brazilian man claims his is back to see his husband but he has a shady immigration history.

Mar 24, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a couple of likely lads get the dog's attention but they're claiming they don't touch drugs, a British man returning to Jamaica says he's taking 10,000 pounds in cash to buy a car and two Lithuanian men arrive without hand luggage making officers instantly suspicious.

Mar 31, 2010

Tonight on Customs, officers discover a suspicious substance in a bag lining, customs has a bodyguard fired up over cigarettes, and the war on terror comes to the suburbs.

Apr 7, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a couple of housewives are suspected of being drug runners, a suitcase stuffed full of ciggies for a 'heavy smoker', and wild scenes at the French border as a large people smuggling operation is busted.

Apr 25, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a woman returning to Bangkok attracts the dog's attention and officers want to know why her bags are full of cash, a young man back from the Caribbean is getting angry over being searched and is a Californian woman's emotional plea to get let back into the UK genuine or just a good Hollywood performance?

May 2, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a pregnant Nigerian woman wants to visit her sister in the US but they suspect she's really going there to give birth. Officers identify some suspect luggage and are waiting for the owners to collect it when a man runs for the exit, and a New Yorker tries to convince customs that his friend will fund his holiday.

May 9, 2010

Tonight on Customs, a cashed-up cabbie says he's going to Africa to buy a house but officers aren't so sure, a restaurant raid uncovers illegal workers but why is the Ukrainian waitress so scared to tell where she lives? An officers suspect a man is travelling on a false passport but that's not their only concern.

May 16, 2010

An Indian man says he's married his much older Welsh wife for love but is his just tricking everyone to get residency? A suitcase comes up strangely empty on the x-ray but why is it's owner being so difficult?

May 23, 2010

May 30, 2011

Jun 6, 2010

Jun 13, 2010

Jun 20, 2011

Jun 27, 2010

Feb 13, 2011

Unusual wine & excess tobacco

Feb 20, 2011

Two tobacco mules and prescription drugs

Feb 27, 2011

More drug traffickers, people smugglers and international terrorists are caught red-handed by customs officers. Presented by Damian Walshe-Howling.

Mar 6, 2011

Officer Tori has stopped a man who has come off the flight from Venezuela via Portugal on suspicion he has brought drugs into the country.

Mar 13, 2011

In the Port of Dover, a truck supposedly carrying a load of apple juice is scanned during a routine customs check where officers find there to be no juice in the tanker at all and instead large, suspicious boxes.

Mar 20, 2011

When a young man returns from the party island of Ibiza, he tests positive for drugs. His defence is that he is an epileptic and needs his medication; however, on closer inspection, he also appears to have someone else's credit card.

Mar 27, 2011

Officers routinely stop a man and his wife who are travelling to Afghanistan and find approximately 5000 pounds on him. When asked whether he has had any dealings with Customs or the Police in the past, he says he hasn't. However when they check, they find out that he is a repeat offender.

Apr 3, 2011

Apr 10, 2011

When a cruise ship is detained for failing a safety test just four hours before it is due to depart, the Captain and crew have to make some quick decisions as passengers' are about to board. Meanwhile, officer Fitz observes a man who is acting nervously in baggage reclaim.

Apr 26, 2011

At Gatwick, Officers are investigating a South African passenger who tried to avoid being detected by a sniffer dog and a swab test reveals his bag contains high traces of cocaine.

May 3, 2011

A man claims he is a doctor and that he has been living in the US. However, on transiting through Heathrow on his way to Africa, officers notice that he hasn't got any personal luggage and his suitcase is full of prescription drugs leading officers to think he will try and sell them on the black market in Africa.

May 10, 2011

A man claims to be in the UK to visit a book fair to purchase books for his business. But Sarah is concerned by the lack of clothes he's carrying for a two week visit.

May 17, 2011

While working packages and parcels from a DHL plane in cargo, Steve's dog Megan makes a strong indication on two bags. Officers see that they are both diplomatic bags and are therefore supposedly immune to being opened. However, upon closer inspection, officers see that they are fake diplomatic bags.

May 24, 2011

Super sniffer dog Diesel has alerted officers at Gatwick Airport of a suspicious vacuum cleaner. Information has been received that drugs in vacuum cleaners are showing up at airports all over the world. The Hoover is dismantled and 300g of cocaine are found inside.

May 31, 2011

His name is Dazzling and so is his story. Arriving in the UK for four months with only $40, he says a mate is going to look after him. But when officers find falsified documents in his possession, he quickly changes his story.

Jun 7, 2011

An Indian couple is stopped after customs find that their three large suitcases contain nothing except 18,000 cigarettes and 28kg of tobacco. Officers pull over a man and his girlfriend who have travelled back from the Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago and have tested positive for traces of cocaine.

Jun 14, 2011