The Fiji Revenue Customs Authority is working to build its profiling capabilities on passengers and cargo.

FRCA team leader Compliance and Investigation, Laisa Naivalurua, said this while making her submissions at the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.

It was held at Airports Fiji Limited, Aviation Academy in Namaka, Nadi yesterday.

“I think this is something that FRCA is trying to build on, the profiling capability especially receiving advanced information on passengers and cargo,” Ms Naivalurua said.

“We do have the passenger targeting, but there’s only one officer in that unit. I know submissions have been made and the executives are working and trying to build on that.”

Ms Naivalurua said similar to passengers, the cargo intelligence team was effective in becoming advanced to also screen and profile.

“For cargo, the intelligence team is trying to work in the different ports, trying to work with the freight forwarders and trying to get that advanced manifest so we can also screen and profile similarly to passengers,” she added.

FRCA Passenger Targeting Unit’s Mohammed Ajaz said the unit setup was a success.

“So they screen the passenger list prior to the arrival of the aircraft and we happen to get these usually three hours before landing,” he said.

“They have the abilities and the tools to check on the names and the profiles and they go through many other systems to check the background of certain passengers.”

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence also heard submissions from stakeholders in the Border Control Agencies (Western Division) on the:

 World Trade Organisation – Agreement on Trade Facilitation;

 World Trade Organisation amendment to the Protocol Trade Related aspects of Intellectual Property (TRIP);

 United Nations Convention on Electronics Communications in International Contracts

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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