29 Oct 2026
1 hour ago
36 views
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.
01 Feb 2026
9 months ago
1395 views
The biosecurity component of the Border Processing Levy for most arriving air passengers will decrease by 30 percent, from $16.92 to $12.03, as the costs of rebuilding border operations after COVID-19 have been paid off. The levy funds essential biosecurity services like x-ray screening and detector dogs, which protect New Zealand's economy and environment, particularly benefiting farmers and other primary industries. The government plans to use levy funds to modernize border biosecurity through investments in new technology, including a digital border program and enhanced passenger processing systems.