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Riley joins the New Zealand Customs “Rummage Squad” searching for contraband on an overseas frieghter in Auckland harbour.
Team leader, Peter Dolphin heads the search team of six custom officials accompanied by one Labrador dog and handler, onboard a cargo ship moored in the harbour unloading a shipment of mortar bombs.
The Black gang name stems from overseas nickname, one of the teams many nicknames including the Rummagers, the Seekers and the Wombles, the latter due to the way they collect “all the bits and pieces”.
Dolphin explains the only resentment the team receives comes from seamen and waterside worker involved in illegal activity such as those dealing in narcotics and smuggling.
The onboard the search starts with a meeting with the captain and the ship’s log of ports visited and cargo manifest. Access is demanded to all ship decks, holds, living quarters, etc… Working conditions are poor, with dirty tight spaces and lack of air, especially for the dog and handler.
Dolphin talks about previous seizures and the extent smugglers have gone to hide them.
Riley suggests the job is rather like searching for a needle in a hay-stack. Dolphin says they like to think they’ve got at least half the haystack covered and with experience the new guys currently being trained will be able to replace the older less agile ones.
He says in terms of the customs system, they are the lowest of the low and can wait around for months before eventually hitting a big one. At the end of the day the team gather in the office to debrief and consolidate.
Dolphin concludes by suggesting, if the price is right, when he retires he might write a book on how to smuggle.
Announcer’s outro to the programme: Recorded and Produced by Steph Riley.