Customs targets trade exploits with US computer system

The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service has been granted access to a US computer system that could help combat suspected trade-based money laundering activity.

Customs said it had signed an agreement with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "to share trade data with each other".

ICE would open its Data Analysis and Research for Trade Transparency System (DARTTS) to Australian customs officers.

The system contained "domestic and foreign trade data and allows users to see both sides of the trade transaction, making the transaction transparent".

"This will help officers to identify international trade anomalies and financial irregularities indicative of trade-based money laundering, customs fraud, movement of counterfeit goods and other import-export crimes," Australian Customs said in a statement.

"It is estimated that annual trade-based money laundering is worth billions of dollars and is growing each year."

The two customs services saw the partnership as an effective way to target "people or entities who tried to exploit global trade systems" and to otherwise carry out their respective missions.