Customs to study use of AI to improve efficiency

Adelyn Lau

The Customs and Excise Department will study the introduction of artificial intelligence to its computer forensic lab to improve efficiency in analyzing evidence.

A single command can be issued to search for the required information in seconds which would enhance investigative efficiency, said senior inspector of the computer forensic lab, Wong Wai-kei.

"In the past, our approach involved a colleague sitting in front of a screen for an hour to watch a one-hour closed-circuit television footage. With the use of an AI system, we only need to input relevant commands, conduct a search, and potentially process the case in just a few seconds," he said.

Chiu Kat Wu-lan, acting assistant staff officer of the computer forensic and information technology security, said: "The system's accuracy is around 80 percent, but it can be influenced by various factors such as data volume."

By improving the data model, accuracy is expected to enhance, with plans to establish the system architecture in a short period, she added.

Currently, the lab has 15 computer forensic personnel responsible for analysis, decryption of hidden files, providing real-time support at crime scenes and maintaining evidence integrity, said the officers.

Additionally, dozens of team members from various departments are also deployed and can be summoned to crime scenes to provide technical support, they added.

Types of cases requiring support from the computer forensic lab have grown, including assisting in investigating money laundering, dangerous drugs and smuggling activities.

Meanwhile, the volume and complexity of electronic data processed have amplified, necessitating active research into new technologies to aid in criminal investigations, Customs said.

Therefore, Customs has invested around HK$600,000 in developing a computer system that uses AI to assist forensic personnel in analyzing electronic data, including text, images and videos.

Wong said the lab processed more than 100 cases annually for the past five years.

The rising number of cyber technology crimes coupled with the advancement of smartphone functionalities and the prevalence of infringement activities on auction websites have posed challenges to computer forensic work, Chiu said.

In response, the lab also established specialized forensic tools for examining smartphones and enhanced personnel's ability to track digital footprints online.

adelyn.lau@singtaonewscorp.com