How Australian Border Force officers are trained to intercept illegal consignments

From ship ports to airports, by plane or by boat, criminals will try anything to smuggle illegal products into Australia.

The biggest challenge for the Australian Border Force is staying ahead of the crooks' technology game.

A Current Affair was invited along to see how our officers train - and the illegal consignments they uncover, both on land and at sea.

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When flight attendant Belinda lost her job during the COVID-19 pandemic, she never thought she'd be changing careers in her 50s.

But now the grandmother is on the frontline of our borders, stopping smugglers in their tracks.

"I thought someone of my age, I'm almost 60, that that would be a real barrier," she said.

"That they wouldn't take me into a year-long traineeship. But here I am.

"It's something new and something that made me feel valuable and like I was contributing."

At a shipping container facility in Brisbane, ABF officer Lee is training Belinda and Amy on how to spot illegal items.

Officers have intel on a cargo that's come in by boat from China.

It's disguised as speakers from the outside, but inside are hundreds of units of vapes, which are banned from being imported into Australia.

Since January, $28 million worth of vapes has been busted at the border.

But it's not always what's on board the boat that officers need to look out for.

Off the coast of Brisbane, David is training recruits Heather and Amy to search ships from underwater.

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Using specialised camera technology, the recruits search the hull of a Chinese bulk carrier carrying coal.

Sometimes criminals will attach drugs to the hull of the boat, like a 150 kilogram cocaine bust on a South American ship in the port of Melbourne earlier this year.

But this Chinese carrier is all clear and free to go.

"Maritime is definitely the place everyone wants to come to," Amy said.

"I mean there's nothing better to be out on the water, out of the office," Heather said.

"It's amazing, great to be out on the water, great to be outside, really good experience."

Jon is in charge of training recruits like Heather, Belinda and Amy.

"The good thing is, everyday you don't know what you're walking into, which does make it exciting," he said.

"When you join, it does really give you a sense of purpose and you feel like you're giving back to the community.

"I've intercepted drug boats on the high seas, in the airport, people strapping money to their body trying to bring it across the border."

If you think you've got what it takes, the Australian Border Force is hiring for its recruit training program.