SHENZHEN Customs has denied the reported leak of a duty roster for its officers at four checkpoints.

    With the help of a duty roster circulating on the Internet, smugglers could choose to transport undeclared goods into Shenzhen when lax officers are on duty, according to a recent report by Hong Kong-based Sing Tao Daily.

    The customs authority said work-related information about on-duty officers is public at checkpoints. Smugglers might have formed the so-called roster based on this information.

    Customs officers work in three different shifts each day inspecting cross-border travelers and their luggage, according to yesterday’s report by the Southern Metropolis Daily.

    The customs authority said that in addition to on-duty officers, extra officers are tasked to conduct checks from time to time in an effort to crack down on smugglers.

    The Sing Tao Daily report said the roster on the Internet details the shift arrangements for officers at Luohu, Futian, Huanggang and Shenzhen Bay checkpoints between February and December.

    Smugglers believe that not every customs officer is diligent.

    The Southern Metropolis Daily report said smugglers have been active recently since the mainland market was excluded from the first two rounds of sales of Apple’s latest smartphones. (Martin Li)