Australian Customs has come up empty-handed after investigating an allegation staff helped move counterfeit iPhones past border controls without detection, the Australian newspaper reported this week.

Australian Customs and Border Protection referred the allegation to its internal affairs division in August after it was raised in The Australian.

A Customs spokeswoman said the investigation had closed and no disciplinary action had been taken against any staff.

"Customs and Border Protection has not identified any individual/s within the organisation who are importing counterfeit iPhones," the spokeswoman said.

The agency invited members of the public to contact its integrity unit if they had information indicating that Customs agents were involved in importing counterfeit goods.

Apple declined to comment.

Early in August, The Australian reported that Apple was working with Customs to stem the flow of fake iPhones into the country. The company was acting on a tip from The Australian, which had discovered an illegal operation to sell the fake phones in Sydney pubs and to travellers at backpacker hostels.

A tout, who spoke on condition of anonymity, allowed The Australian to inspect one of the fake units which, he said, could be sourced from wholesalers for $55 each and and sold on the blackmarket for $400.

He alleged that his supplier was a Customs employee who had acquired the phones in China at a cost of $18.50 each. He alleged the employee avoided Customs' usual vetting procedures to import handsets in consignments of 5000 and 10,000 each.

"(The customers) generally want to have something that looks like the real thing, so they can say that they have an iPhone," the seller said at the time.

Last year, Customs seized 72 consignments of fake mobile phone products.

The Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association said that it did not consider counterfeit handsets a major problem for local handset suppliers.

Association spokesman Randal Markey said it was easier for consumers to take advantage of handset subsidies to buy authentic products rather than risk shady deals.

"We're not aware of it being a problem at this stage," Mr Markey said. "People can get the genuine article on a plan where they don't have to put any money up front, so quite expensive phones are quite accessible, and this would include the iPhone."

Apple was not a member of AMTA, Mr Markey said.

 Customs and Border Protection said members of the public could call the Integrity and Professional Standards Unit, on 1800 ASSURANCE (1800 277 872 623) if they had information about imports of counterfeit products by Customs staff.