By virtue of the UN's Marine Treaty Law, coastal nations have the right to set and maintain customs tariffs and detain illegal immigrants under surveillance. The administration has the right to keep under surveillance criminal activities such as smuggling and illegal immigration at sea waters and the coasts of the Nation. Its legal powers that are based on The Customs Smuggling Surveillance Ordinance, The Regulation for Suppression of Smuggling, The National Security Law, and The Coast Guard Law of the Nation. To safeguard its security, the Nation has set up a string of security checkpoints at ports.
Since 2001, the administration has begun to coordinate with the Government and execute security checks for the "mini direct links with the mainland" with the aim of strengthening security and preventing illegal entrance/exit, smuggling, and imports of infectious diseases from entering the Nation. From 2002, the administration has actively promoted simplified security measures with due consideration given to the principles of "Security and Convenience". At ports, barcode readers have been set up to enable easy entrance and exit, a system that has been networked to The Fishery Administration of the Council of Agriculture to further ensure security.
