Border Patrol television series

This action-packed half hour television series has been a New Zealand favourite for four seasons. The show looks at the work of MAF Biosecurity New Zealand's Quarantine Inspectors and the officers of the New Zealand Customs Service at our ports, airports and mail centre.

The programme showcases the vital work of MAFBNZ's border staff as they protect New Zealand from potentially devastating pests and diseases that could arrive here stowed in freight, carried by passengers and even smuggled by criminals. Sometimes amusing, occasionally confrontational, and always compelling viewing, the latest series (which ran from 9 February to 13 April 2009) is detailed here.

Episode 10 - Monday 13 April 2009

An unusual package arrives at the International Mail Centre in Auckland - a consignment of live Siamese fighting fish.

And a vintage tank is shipped to New Zealand… completed with a load of dirt.

Episode 9 - Monday 06 April 2009

An air passenger is unhappy to be fined for failure to declare a banana in his hand luggage.

Inspectors Clive Imrie and Mike Cartwright travel from Northland to Auckland with the frigate Te Mana, to clear the ship and its crew for arrival to New Zealand from an overseas tour.

And a dog and cat are reunited with their UK owners in New Zealand after a long haul flight. MAF inspects them on arrival to ensure they're not carrying any parasites or insects.

Episode 8 - Monday 30 March 2009

In Christchurch, Quarantine Inspector Popo Loua encounters an Indian couple who have language difficulties around the meaning of "food".

And at Auckland International Airport inspectors Andrew and Rob have to dispose of 10 kilos of premium cherries, while Team Leader Sue Davis meets an Hawaiian traveller with banned avocados and a sense of humour.

Episode 7 - Monday 23 March 2009

At the International Mail Centre, Team Leader Ruth McGrath examines a bag of suspect white powder. It could be a dairy product, potentially posing an enormous risk to New Zealand's biosecurity. Specialist Dog Handler Sarah Hudson and K9 Poppy find plant material on an arriving passenger, and Quarantine Inspector Vijay Narayan interviews the man about his risk goods. And Border Standards senior advisor Simon O'Connor and Bridget Roberts from the Sea Container Programme audit container facilities in Samoa. The programme sees containers cleaned offshore (1769 KB) as a move to keep contamination risk offshore.

Episode 6 - Monday 16 March 2009

An elderly Cambodian woman arrives at Christchurch airport with sausage meat and freshwater fish concealed within dried squid. She speaks no English, so with the help of a fellow passenger, and her daughter (brought in from outside the arrivals hall), Quarantine Inspectors Richard Battrick, Trevor Thomas, Mark Stewart and Kumar Velupillai try to get to the bottom of the fishy imports.

Episode 5 - Monday 9 March 2009

MAFBNZ's Quarantine Inspectors move into top gear when the host of the popular British motoring show arrives in New Zealand for a show. Brett Hickman checks that Jeremy Clarkson is carrying no biosecurity risks, while down at the Auckland Port, Leyton Hackney ensures the performance cars are up to scratch. At Christchurch Airport, Quarantine Inspector Popo Loua finds an unwelcome surprise in some unusual luggage, at the International Mail Centre, Specialist Quarantine Inspector Dunja Hassencamp finds a skin drum that's not in tune with our biosecurity laws and at Auckland Airport, Brett Hickman finds some duck products that cannot be allowed in.

Episode 4 - Monday 2 March 2009

Seasoned world traveller and collector Davey Hughes arrives back in New Zealand with some interesting artifacts - mammoth bones, coyote penis bones and beaver skins - for Quarantine Inspector James Light to clear for entry. Full information on what you can and cannot bring into New Zealand is here.

Episode 3 - Monday 23 February 2009

MAFBNZ Quarantine Inspector Gary Higgins inspects a shipload of heavy machinery that's been unloaded overnight from a Russian ship. The machinery poses a huge risk to New Zealand's biosecurity, being contaminated with mosquitoes, spiders, dirt and wasp nests. It must be cleaned and fumigated.

Episode 2 – Monday 16 February 2009

MAFBNZ Quarantine Inspector Aaron Harrison is called in when a woman is suspected of carrying bear bile within herbal medicine concealed in a whisky bottle. Bear bile is a prohibited import under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES ).

On the same episode, Quarantine Inspectors Edwin Kedde, and Amirdha Saragan and Team Leader Sue Davis encounter language difficulties as they go about their work at Auckland International Airport.

Episode 1 – Monday 9 February 2009

MAFBNZ Quarantine Inspectors Touzelle Batkin and Brian Robinson, along with Detector Dog Handler Karen Crosland check a cruise ship as it arrives in Auckland. The team give the ship a thorough once-over, providing it with the all clear to enter any New Zealand port on this voyage without a MAF check at every stop. A report of a rat on-board turns out to be, fortunately, a false alarm – something almost understandable given the sheer volume of ship inspections undertaken. The story demonstrates the strict rules around bringing a ship load of passengers and accompanying stores to New Zealand.

Page last updated: 28 April 2009