Organising
Customs & Excise
Monarchs and governments have long raised money by putting a
duty on luxury goods brought into a country. Wines and spirits are
a favourite source of this revenue, but tobacco, perfume and many
other goods have also been charged. The customs and excise service
people collect this money, and try to prevent smuggling. 
 Staff at Southampton Customs Office |
Important ports will have customs officers who check passengers
arriving. They may also arrive unannounced on a ship to search it
from bow to stern for smuggled goods, an operation known as
`rummaging`. Accounts of battles with armed bands of smugglers have given the
customs service something of a romantic image. They do enjoy powers
greater than those of the police. For instance, they can confiscate
a ship or vehicle carrying contraband goods. Over the years, customs officers` jobs have changed. For
instance, they now have the much less romantic task of collecting
Value Added Tax (VAT). But their work still can involve excitement
and danger. For instance, they are in the forefront of attempts to
prevent drug trafficking. People in port Many different people are needed to make sure that a port
operates smoothly. Some of them, like police and tug operators,
work in the public eye. Others, like the harbourmaster, work behind
the scenes. But all are needed to make sure that ports operate
effectively, twenty-four hours a day.
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