This summer has been the busiest so far for Customs, with a record number of travellers crossing the border and a record number of them using SmartGate.

'Passenger numbers reached record highs with almost 3.38 million passengers passing through international airports over summer, an increase of around 10 per cent on last summer,” says Customs Minister Nicky Wagner.

A shipment of methamphetamine intercepted by Customs in February, as part of a joint operation. Photo: Supplied.

The use of SmartGate has also increased with 1.15 million passengers using the gates between December and February, seeing a 15 per cent increase on the previous year.

Nicky says that the Government's $6.6 million investment to add more than double the number of SmartGates is 'already paying off”.

And making travel to New Zealand a better experience helps boost economic growth, he says, with a boost in spending by international tourists to $9.7 billion in the year to December 2015; a 31 per cent increase.

'Not only is travel easier, Customs officers are also better able to keep the border safe by focusing on high-risk travellers. This approach has seen more drugs seized at the border during the summer period than ever before,” says Nicky.

Customs has seized 855 drug packages this summer compared to the 771 last summer, as well as a total of 74kg of methamphetamine and quarter of a tonne of precursors, double the amount seized last year.

'These drug seizures work hand in hand with the efforts of other law enforcement agencies, which has seen the street price of P remain stable, use rates remain below one percent, and the average age of users increase.”

Customs Minister Nicky Wagner using new next generation SmartGate.

Nicky says the 'successful summer” showcases the work of Customs officers at the frontline and behind the scenes, 'who are keeping our border safe while making travel and trade hassle-free”.