Archive, Industry News

Southwest Victoria sees latest intermodal compliance operation

Operation Crossway is a yearly heavy vehicle and maritime blitz

 

Operation Crossway, a compliance blitz on the supply chain out of Portland in Victoria’s southwest, has nabbed truck infringements but no Customs breaches.

The Portland operation is a multi-agency effort comprising Australian Border Force (ABF), Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), National Heavy Vehicle Regular (NHVR), Water Police, Police Airwing, Public Order Response Team (PORT), Heavy Vehicle Intelligence Unit (HVIU), Portland Police units and Trident Taskforce personnel. 

The purpose was to ensure “heavy vehicle operators were complying with relevant road safety legislation, as well as ensuring the safety and security of the dock precinct, and the integrity of the supply chain via cargo checks”, an ABF spokesperson says.

“Threats to supply chain integrity can include a range of actions, for instance concealing the provenance of goods to obscure exploitative practices in manufacturing, mislabelling of goods, or fraudulent practices to facilitate tax evasion.

“A key priority for the ABF is undertaking trade enforcement activities that will foster economic prosperity and reduce the economic harm associated with revenue evasion.”

The two-day operation on April 28-29 involved more than 750 individual vehicle checks, including heavy vehicles and cars, and another checks on 750 people, including heavy vehicle drivers, marine and port operations staff, and crew of both local fishing industry and international vessels, Victoria Police explains.

Another 2,500-plus vehicle checks were conducted by static automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) units.

Further, 350 port access authority checks of persons accessing port related areas undertaken, with four instances of identified breaches, plus checks of 27 marine vessels in and around the port area, including boarding and compliance checks of four international vessels.


How last year’s Operation Crossway played out, here


Multiple canine drug sweeps and physical searches of vehicles, vessels and individuals also occurred.

In total:

  • 96 breath tests were conducted with no positive results
  • 72 Preliminary oral fluid tests (drugs) were conducted which returned 2 positive results
  • 54 Penalty Infringement Notices were issued
  • 14 charges were laid relating to criminal, driving, or vehicle offences, with a further eight charges expected to be laid on summons. 

Meanwhile, “on this occasion no Customs Act breaches as it relates to ABF matters were identified”, the ABF spokesperson says.

“As it relates to the ABF’s area of responsibility, the compliance outcomes reflect that the majority of industry partners are committed to maintaining safety and security.

“This reflects of the level of engagement by ABF in Portland with key industry partners.

“The ABF continues to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies to strengthen border controls and facilitate economic prosperity.

“The ABF routinely engages in overt deterrent activity, and operations like those in Portland ensure a safe waterfront, while providing a more level playing field for legitimate Australian business.”

In what’s become a yearly occurrence, last year the ABF compiled a micro-documentary on Operation Crossway.

 

Previous ArticleNext Article
Send this to a friend