Grace, however, is not your average wheelie-bin scavenging, face-slurping lab but a member of HM Customs trained to assume the sitting position whenever she detects any evidence of drugs.

One sniff of the nether regions of the suspect detained at Sydney Airport and she assumes the position, a development that does not bode well for Nelson, whose credit cards and wallet have already tested positive to traces of cocaine.

This is Border Security - Australia's Frontline, a documentary series which tracks the daily dramas played out in the immigration and customs halls of Australia's international airports.

The introduction was worrying for there was actor Grant Bowler, looking very stern and dramatic, striding across an airport tarmac and telling us what a wondrous job it was that our border warriors performed.

It all sounded very noble, giving rise to the fear that it would also be very boring. Happily, those charged with making the program resisted the temptation to produce a paean to the Customs service and spared a thought for the viewer.

The result makes for interesting and at times, dramatic television as the program in next week's premiere episode follows three suspects, two men and a husband and wife, as they are interrogated at Sydney and Melbourne Airports.

Emmanuelle has a problem. He's holding an Italian passport but has no visa and doesn't speak native Italian. A close look at his passport shows that he may have bought it from the Italian office of the Dodgy Brothers. While Emmanuelle sweats it out in the interview room, Nelson is being interrogated after the results of the drug swabs of his wallet and cards.

Nelson says he doesn't do drugs and came to Australia for sightseeing after watching Steve Irwin on television, a claim the Custom's officers find difficult to accept.

This should not be taken to suggest that it is necessary to take drugs in order to watch Steve Irwin, although I would suggest there is a case for ingesting any legally prescribed sedatives which you may have at hand before tuning in.

Elsewhere, a man and woman from New York who declared they were not carrying any foodstuffs in their luggage are found to have sufficient produce with which to open their own fruit and vegetable stand when their bags are searched.

This segment is worthy of your attention if only to observe the wonderful display of arm waving performed by the husband. This man is clearly a professional arm waver and also does a good line in abuse, restricted though he may be by a limited English vocabulary.