Britain’s borders are open to drug smugglers, criminal gangs and terrorists because there are too few officials to man customs desks at ports and airports, the Home Secretary was warned today.

Many desks at ports and airports are no longer permanently staffed by customs officers who have instead been deployed into mobile teams who move around the country.

But the Government’s anti-terror watchdog warned ministers that customs officers are spread too thinly and offered no deterrent to terrorists and other criminal gangs plotting to enter the UK.

Lord Carlile of Berriew, QC, said: "I remain of the view that Customs officers in particular are thinly spread."

He said that providing a telephone at an port of entry into the UK, with a notice to call customs officials when no officers were on duty, was an inadequate defence against terrorists.

Special branch officers also expressed alarm over ports left without any customs cover because the mobile team has been deployed elsewhere.

A senior police officer said: "The service is very unhappy about the approach of Customs. You can have a major port with no coverage at all because they are mounting operations up the coast. It leaves gaps and gateways completely open, and Special Branch officers are unhappy."

The officer added: "It has been a running sore for quite a while and it’s a problem dealing with organised crime as well. There has been intelligence showing that criminals don’t stand idly by. Human traffickers will hire people to keep a watch. There have been incidents and eyebrows raised."

Lord Carlile said: "Customs need to look again at the way in which they deploy their resources. There’s absolutely no doubt that there are not enough Customs officers at ports throughout the country.

"There’s absolutely no doubt there remains a serious risk of terrorism, and that can arise at ports on entry."

He added: "On one occasion in March 2006 my own attempt to declare some gifts on arrival at Heathrow Airport from South Asia was met with a total absence of any evident Customs officers and a complete failure to operate the telephone provided for the purpose alongside an apparently helpful notice for those wishing to declare goods.

"This kind of manpower weakness is no discouragement to terrorists.

"The adequacy of staffing of HM Customs and Excise at and for ports of entry of all kinds is an important matter."

Patrick Mercer, the shadow minister for homeland security, said: "We have repeatedly warned that terror laws are very sensitive, must be used appropriately and carry the support of the community.

"It is vital that we do not end up sacrificing the rights we are supposed to be to defending.

"We have also been warning the Government about a lack of security at our borders. It is for this reason that we have proposed the establishment of a UK border police force. The Government should now answer that call."

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