AUSTRALIA'S border security is exposed to 19 ''critical'' risks and dozens of other serious vulnerabilities, which are wrecking efforts to control an epidemic of drugs and arms smuggling on the waterfront.

A federal and state police taskforce has uncovered rampant corruption involving customs and quarantine officials, port workers and organised criminals, which allows contraband to flow unchecked through the ports.

A top-secret report by the Polaris taskforce in February has found the maritime union - which is affiliated with and a big donor to the Labor Party - is hindering police and government efforts to clean up the ports.

The security flaws identified include several gaps that have been reported to the federal government as far back as 2008 but have never been acted on.

The report details how organised crime syndicates have infiltrated the customs and quarantine services, port managements and the private-sector supply chain. The Herald can also reveal that the situation is so dire that senior ministers recently urged the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, to approve the biggest crackdown on waterfront crime in decades.