Australia Border Force cracks down on contraband cargo with new Townsville facility

The Australia Border Force has significantly stepped up its efforts to combat contraband entering North Queensland, unveiling a new Townsville facility set to triple cargo inspections at the port.

Detector Dog Handler Yael Dyson-Holland with Narcotics/Firearms dog Dayna and the new large pallet X-ray machine. Picture: Evan Morgan

The Australia Border Force (ABF) has significantly stepped up its efforts to combat contraband entering North Queensland, unveiling a new Townsville facility set to triple cargo inspections at the port.

ABF’s new container examination facility in Mount St John boasts a flash $540,000 pallet X-ray machine, set to save officers hours of painstaking work.

Instead of cracking open pallets and rifling through them piece by piece, this new machine scans the whole lot in one go — saving hours of work and tripling their current capacity.

Superintendent Wayne Morgan, ABF Area Commander for North Queensland and the Torres Strait, pointed out that these facilities are typically found in capital cities, and this expansion acknowledges the crucial role regional areas play in protecting the community.

“We conduct extensive intelligence work and collaborate with international and local law enforcement partners,” he said.

“We see attempts to use regional ports like Townsville (to smuggle in contraband) … This facility greatly enhances our ability to meet those challenges.”

Border Force Office Opening in Mount St John. Boarder Force Officer Mitchell Roberts with the new mobile X-ray van. Picture: Evan Morgan

ABF Inspector Neil Singh said the new facility comes at a critical time, with cargo volumes at the Townsville port expected to skyrocket from 60,000 containers a year to nearly a million.

“The threat level remains the same, but with container numbers increasing, we need to match that growth in our capacity to manage it,” Mr Singh explained.

“This facility will help us handle the rising volume of cargo, ensuring we can effectively intercept narcotics, firearms, and other contraband, including tobacco and vapes, before they reach our community.”

Border Force Office Opening in Mount St John. Picture: Evan Morgan

Along with the new pallet X-ray machine, the Townsville ABF team now has a mobile X-ray van for use in communities, and they’ve doubled their staff from five to ten officers.

ABF dog Dayna, a highly trained canine who specialises in detecting drugs and firearms, was among those on hand at the new facility’s unveiling on Tuesday.

“Our detector dogs are pretty much one of our best tools, and no different to Townsville; they’ll continue to operate and help us out here as well,” Mr Singh said.

Originally published as Australia Border Force cracks down on contraband cargo with new Townsville facility