Eritr@c Workshop Padova 11th Feb 2010
Requirements for the Future
Background
While cross-border smuggling has been a feature of international trade for centuries, there has been a major increase in recent years in the worldwide movement of containerised traffic. This has resulted in an increased opportunity for cross border trafficking of illicit drugs, explosives and other contraband.
The illicit drugs trade alone is estimated to be worth $400bn annually worldwide.
Cigarette smuggling is a global problem. Within the EU it is estimated that 90bn illicit cigarettes are consumed each year. The resultant tax loss is conservatively estimated to be in the region of €16bn.
Illegal trade in wildlife - specious and derivatives protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – is an area of smuggling often overlooked. This illegal trade is valued at between $10bn and $20bn annually on a global scale.
Smuggling of counterfeit goods is also an increasing international problem. Intellectual Property crime is estimated to account for up to 7% of world trade. In the EU alone, this illegal activity is estimated to cost legitimate trade some €400bn each year.
Terrorist related smuggling continues to pose security threats on a global scale. Security and law enforcement agencies rate the detection of arms, explosives, chemicals, dangerous goods, radioactive and nuclear materials high on their list of priorities.
The advent of the Single European Market in 1993, while facilitating the free movement of goods within the EU, has contributed to the difficulties faced by customs administrations by abolishing internal community border controls.
Container Scanning in EU
Faced with the challenge of intensifying inspection rates of containers and trucks, while ensuring minimum disruption and expense to legitimate trade, Customs and other enforcement agencies have increasingly turned to X-ray and gamma scanners to screen import and export consignments.
For almost two decades container scanning has been used as valuable tool in the fight against cross-border smuggling. Scanning systems are available in three formats:
Fixed systems, as the term implies, are permanently constructed structures usually using linear accelerators having an energy source in the order of 8-9 MeV. They are relatively expensive and are usually deployed in large seaports having a large throughput of containerised traffic.
Mobile scanners, which are generally built on conventional truck chasses, have the advantages of lower cost and greater flexibility. They can be readily moved from one scanning location to another according to risk and traffic requirements. Until recently they have had an energy range of between 300keV and 4 MeV, but 6MeV energy systems are now available.
Relocatable systems incorporate many of the advantages of the fixed systems including good reliability, high quality imaging and the capability to use dual-view format. They are available with energies of up to 6MeV and are significantly less expensive than fixed scanners.
Concealment techniques
The classic contraband concealment involves placing a “cover load” of expendable goods close to the container doors. This serves to hide the smuggled goods from any partial or cursory examination. Container scanners have had significant success in detecting concealments of smuggled goods in such circumstances.
Smugglers have reacted accordingly by using shielding techniques in an effort to defeat the screening process. These can take the form of straightforward shielding using dense materials such as lead, steel, marble etc, or by concealing the smuggled goods within cargoes having similar shape, form or density to the contraband.
Limitations of existing scanning systems
While X-ray/ gamma scanning systems have had played a significant role in detecting illicit maritime traffic, it is recognised that they have limitations. These include:
•Poor material discrimination at high energy levels
•No specific substance identification
•Over reliance on operator interpretation skills
•Nuisance alarms
•Inconclusive images
•High number of resultant physical examinations
Multi-application approach
It is accepted that there is no single detection technology application solution. Neutron scanning, as developed in the EURITRACK and Eritr@c programmes offers the opportunity to employ a multi-level detection strategy. By combining the various stages of risk analysis and selection, X-ray scanning and neutron scanning, customs can be provided with a valuable additional level of information which can lead to the detection of illicit cargo while reducing the number of physical examinations of containers.
For such an approach to be successful the performance of each stage of the procedure should be optimised. It is vital that the first stage, risk analysis, selects suitable targets for scanning using all available information.
To improve the results of X-ray scanning, new technology applications such as Dual View, Dual Energy/Material Discrimination and Drive-through scanning should be considered. Automatic threat detection, which has been developed in the area of baggage screening, could also play a part.
At the neutron scanning stage, information which has been developed during risk analysis, could be used to help in the decision making process of specific material identification.
Neutron scanning as envisioned in the EURITRACK and Eritr@c programmes has the potential to become an effective detection tool for customs when used in conjunction with other tools such as Risk analysis, Intelligence, Detector dogs, Trace detection, and X-ray scanning.
End user requirements
The primary end users of cargo scanners are Customs administrations and other Law Enforcement Agencies such as Immigration and Police services. However, the end user community can be taken to include other groups such as Port authorities, Shipping Companies, Importers/Exporters, Truck Drivers and other members of the public upon whom cargo scanning impacts. As such, the requirements of these various groups must be taken into account in the operation of detection technology applications.
Radiological safety
The use of ionising radiation for cargo scanning purposes can be justified on the grounds that any radiological risk is trivial and is far outweighed by the societal benefits that scanning can bring. Cargo scanning must, however, be subject to a well-regulated radiological safety regime and must comply with the terms of the licence issued by the regulatory body.
An important consideration in radiation safety is the prevention, as far as possible, of inadvertent exposure to stowaways. The possibility of a stowaway being present in a target container is influenced by such factors as source and destination countries, shipping routes, and the nature of container cargoes.
The radiological safety reports from WP5 clearly show that the EURITRACK/ Eritr@c procedures comply with these requirements.
Message to Industry
It is clear that there is an urgent need for material identification capability in cargo scanning operations. The EURITRACK/ Eritr@c projects have provided valuable results in the development of such a solution.
This research should not simply form part of a research industry. It is research for industry as demonstrated by the working model in Rijeka, and these results should be built upon to provide a viable solution for end user needs.
Message to End users
There is also an obligation on the end user community to “raise the bar” for industry to provide efficient solutions for specific security needs. This can be achieved by keeping up-to-date on advances in technology applications, and by ensuring that procurement processes call for the highest available standards.
Ultimately, end-user requirements must dictate the direction of R&D in the area of detection technology applications.