'Porous borders' aid smugglers - minister

SYDNEY - Smugglers of the illicit drug "ice" are taking advantage of Australia's porous borders, the NSW government says.

Only six per cent of the 2.1 million large shipping containers that pass through Australia's ports are X-rayed or physically checked for drugs, NSW Police Minister John Watkins said today.

Mr Watkins said the amount of screening done by Customs should be boosted or they would risk undoing the work done by police in tracking down dealers.

"It's only by stopping the movement of ice from Asia that we can get it off the streets here in Australia," he said.

Mr Watkins said even the limited search capacity of Customs had led to several large seizures of the drug and its ingredients.

- AAP