Instead of policing immigration and Customs separately, ‘frontier teams’ will attend foreign arrivals at the harbours and the Airport and check postal shipments arriving in the Island.
That will enable more staff to be moved into the intelligence-led investigations unit which targets people trying to smuggle drugs into Jersey.
That unit is Jersey-based and works closely with police and Customs officers in the UK, France and other countries to intercept drug shipments.
Mike Robinson, the head of Customs and Immigration, said that the change would not slow passengers’ progress through the Airport or harbours and that the only difference they would notice would be that the previously plain-clothed immigration officers would be wearing uniforms.
‘Rationalising our resources like this has enabled us to put more people onto our investigations,’ said Mr Robinson.
‘The investigations unit is responsible for identifying criminal enterprises, mostly drug smuggling.
We have an intelligence bureau which is charged with building up intelligence on drug trafficking.’
