This type of cooperation between agencies strengthens both ends of the aviation supply chain, helping tackle drug trafficking between Southeast Asia and New Zealand, with a particular focus on the threat posed by trusted insiders.
The visit was part of a programme that began with New Zealand Customs officials travelling to Kuala Lumpur in May, aimed at sharing expertise and exploring new ways of working together to address shared border security challenges. In reciprocal fashion, colleagues from across Customs came together in August to provide the delegation with practical exposure to our approaches to intelligence, targeting, investigations, and supply chain security.
Seeing Customs’ end-to-end process in action helped demonstrate how intelligence is translated into operational outcomes and highlighted the value of strong interagency collaboration in protecting New Zealand's border.
Throughout the programme, the delegation saw firsthand the realities of protecting New Zealand's border. During training activities at Auckland Airport, Customs Officers were simultaneously responding to courier interceptions, providing a practical reminder of the threats confronting New Zealand.
Customs’ Kuala Lumpur-based Counseller, Andrew Walker, said the visit was a genuine team effort, reflecting our strong relationships with overseas partners, whose cooperation can support earlier identification of risks and help address vulnerabilities across the international supply chain before threats reach New Zealand.
“The visit delivered valuable insights by sharing enforcement practices with our Malaysian counterparts while strengthening partnerships that help keep organised crime out of New Zealand and protect our communities from harm.”
Photographed: New Zealand Customs and Malaysian border control colleagues carrying out training at Auckland International Airport.
