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Single Border Force to protect the North of England
New Border Force is largest shake up of Britain’s border security for 45 years and will help stop organised criminals trying to cheat their way through the North of England's gateway port at Teesport.
The work of immigration and customs has been brought together in a 'Primary Checkpoint' to strengthen border controls across the region. This means that both customs and immigration checks will be carried out in the same place.
The Port of Tees and Hartlepool comprises the second biggest port in the United Kingdom handling some 5,500 ships per annum of which over 3,300 arrive from foreign ports. Customs and immigration officers will now work together at the port to tackle immigration and smuggling. In 2007-8, three tonnes of rolling tobacco and 4.5 million cigarettes were seized at the port, whilst the Agency's search teams have boarded over 100 vessels in the last three months looking for people and goods that have been hidden on board.
The head of the Border Force, Brodie Clark said: " Our single Border Force, with new powers, is the public face of the biggest shake-up of Britain's border security for 45 years. The new Primary Checkpoint at the port will make it even harder for illegal immigrants and goods to be smuggled into the UK.”
New powers for Border Force officers enable them to:
* obtain information from customs to identify illegal immigrants and benefit cheats;
* prosecute traffickers and people smugglers
* pursue, search and detain anyone of interest to the authorities for criminal reasons.
The Port of Teesport was chosen as one of five pilot 'Flagship Ports' for the Primary Checkpoint, which started operating on 9 June 2008. Other pilot ports include Edinburgh, Coquelles, Gatwick and Harwich.
