Opening of new Tongan detector dog facility

Customs Minister Casey Costello is travelling to Tonga this evening to represent New Zealand at the official opening of the country’s second detector dog facility.

The new facility in Vava’u will help strengthen Tonga’s border and build local capability to combat organised crime and the drug trade, Ms Costello says.

Transnational, serious and organised crime (TSOC) is a growing challenge across the Pacific with criminal networks exploiting legitimate trade and travel to move illicit drugs, firearms and cash across borders.

New Zealand is committed to working with our Pacific neighbours to address this and the facility is a practical investment in Tonga’s security and that of the region.

New Zealand Customs and New Zealand Police worked alongside Tonga Police and Tonga’s Ministry of Revenue and Customs to deliver the project, with the facility being built locally.

Vava’u has an international airport, and its port and regular yacht and small-craft traffic create an environment where strong border capability is important. The facility, located within the Tonga Police compound in Neiafu, will give Tonga’s detector dog teams a secure base on the island and will provide greater capability to screen passengers, baggage, cargo and maritime activity, and allow teams to deploy for longer periods in support of operations. The facility will be jointly owned by Tonga Police and Tonga Customs.

We want to work alongside Pacific partners in a way that supports their priorities and builds sustainable, locally led capability, Ms Costello says. The Pacific Detector Dog Programme is a great example of that approach, and the opening of this new facility represents another step in the partnership between our two nations.

In Tonga, three qualified detector dog teams are already operating out of Nuku’alofa, with two further teams - one Tonga Police team and one Tonga Customs team - currently training at the New Zealand Police Dog Training Centre in Trentham. These teams will provide the workforce required to support operations from the new Vava’u facility.

The opening event is occurring Friday morning and will be attended by Tongan Deputy Prime Minister Dr Viliami Uasike Latu, the Minister of Revenue and Customs Hon Sevenitini Toumo’ua and the Governor of Vava’u, Lord Fakatulolo.

Minister Costello will return to New Zealand tomorrow night.