1. ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY TO
PROTECT OUR BORDERS
Taking advantage of emerging technologies is a key factor in BODY SCAN IMAGING
Customs ongoing ability to protect Australia's borders.
Body scan imaging is used by Customs to detect prohibited items
As concealment techniques become more and more sophisticated, concealed on a person's body, or in their clothing, and provides a
and new threat sources such as international terrorism emerge, technological alternative to the removal of clothing.
Customs is continually investigating new technologies to counter
threats to our border security. The x-ray produced does not show any internal body organs and
expo;;es the person being examined to extremely low amounts of
NATIONAL WATERFRONT CLOSED- backscatter x-ray energy.
CIRCUIT TELEVISION
CUSTOMS DETECTOR DOG PROGRAM
Customs national Waterfront Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) system
enables effective and efficient monitoring of port activity around our Customs has employed specially trained dogs in its program of illicit
vast coastline, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. drug detection since 1969, and is continually refining its ~reeding
program and training techniques to advance this highly effective
The network of cameras, in 58 separate port locations across the detection tool .
country, is linked to a national monitoring centre, enabling Customs
to detect any unlawful activity that represents a threat to our border. Customs has recently introduced versatile multi-purpose response
dogs. These dogs are able to search both items (such as sea and
X-RAY TECHNOLOGIES air cargo, baggage, mail, vessels and buildings), and people, and
providing a more flexible and responsive drug detection capability.
Customs uses x-ray technology as a non-intrusive screening tool in a
wide range of environments; for passenger luggage, postal articles, GAMMA RAY CAVITY DETECTORS
vessels, buildings, cargo, and entire sea cargo containers.
Hidden cavities in objects are a common method of prohibited good
Depending on the size and density of items to be screened, concealment.
Customs can employ any combination of its container, cabinet,
pallet, handheld or mobile van and trailer-mounted systems to 'Buster' cavity detectors are hand-held gamma ray devices, used by
achieve screening rates unattainable by physical examination. Customs to detect changes in object dens1ty that might indicate
concealed cavities .
CONTAINER EXAMINATION FACILITIES
The Buster units complement Customs extensive range of x-ray
Customs introduction of state-of-the-art container examination technology and are used in searches of vehicles, small vessels and
facilities to major ports around Australia has dramatically increased containers.
sea container inspection rates at the border.
RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
The new x-ray system is designed to scan a truck carrying fully
laden shipping containers, and can scan up to ten 40ft containers an Customs extensive radio communications network provides a vital
hour. Previously, the only method of inspecting a container's link supporting Customs officers on Customs vessels, Coastwatch
contents was by physically opening and unpacking the contents- a aircraft, regional and district offices and vehicles across Australia's
process that can take well over eight hours. vast coastline.

2. Customs uses a range of HF, VHF, UHF and citizen band radios, Customs is also evaluating a number of instruments capable of
portable repeater stations and satellite equipment to facilitate border detecting chemical warfare agents and various chemical hazards.
surveillance and protection operations. These include ion mobility spe~trometer s and gas chromatograph-
mass spectrometers.
ION MOBILITY ,. SPECTROMETRY
CUSTOMS TECHNOLOGIES OF THE
ion mobility spectrometry OMS) technology can detect drugs, FUTURE
chemical agents and explosives at very low concentrations.
SmartGate
The IMS instruments presently being used by Customs, ionscan
trace particle detectors, are portable desktop units that have proven SmartGate is a world-first fa ce recognition technology being trialled
invaluable in the detection of concealed narcotics in a wide variety of by Customs to perform the face-to-passport check normally
environments, from commercial shipping, to airports, post and undertaken by a Customs officer.
recreational vessels.
The first SmartGate Kiosk was installed at the Customs control point
The ionscan units collect particles by either vacuuming with a filter, at Sydney International Airport for Qantas aircrew in
or wiping surfaces with a specially treated cloth . The unit is able to November 2002.
detect trace amounts of narcotics in the low "nanogram" range . A
nanogram is one billionth of a gram . The system was initially trialled by Qantas international aircrew and
at July 2004, more than 5,000 Qantas crew had enrolled to use the
A more advanced IMS instrument, named ltemiser, capable of system .
detecting narcotics and explosives simultaneously, is being
commissioned in Customs. In the 2004/ 05 budget, Custom s received $3.1million in funding to
expand the trial to a second international airport, Melbourne, and
Hand-held versions of IMS in struments, capable of being used addition al users.
directly on board vessels and aircraft, are being evaluated for future
use by Customs. If introduced more widely, SmartGate will allow Customs to provide
more efficient passenger processing while maintaining a high-level of
security and allowing Customs officers to focus on higher-risk
activities.
High -f req uency r adar
Customs is currently worki ng in partnership with the Department of
Defence to trial a new over-the-horizon high frequency sur face wave
radar, ca pable of detecting surface vessels and low-flying aircraft
beyond the visible horizon .
Implementation of this technology will greatly enhance Customs
Coastwatch 's ability to monitor movements across our borders.
COUNTER -TERRORISM TECHNOLOGY
Customs is working in cooperation with other Australian and
international law-enforcement agencies to combat the increasing
threat of international terrori sm.
An important aspect of this work is the exploration of a range of
technologies to detect explosive and chemical weapons.
For example, Customs has deployed a fleet of mobile radiation
detectors and source identification in struments across Australia to
detect unusual levels of radi ation in cargo and find out what
substance is responsible for the radiation.
For information on any Customs matters, contact the Customs
A fl eet of dual-mode ion mobility spectrometers capable of detecting
Information and Support Centre on 1300 363 263 or email
explosives and narcotics simultaneously is being commissioned in
information@customs.gov.au or browse the website
Custom s. www.customs.gov.au
August 2004