FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Customs and immigration officials from the United States and Canada wound up two days of meetings Thursday at Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades aimed at battling terrorism and drug smuggling.
Among the agreements expected in the future are deals for prescreening cargo shipments between the two countries.
"It is in our interests to increase the security of our borders, but to do it in a way that won't impede the trade between the two countries," said Commissioner Robert C. Bonner of U.S. Customs.
The two nations are trying to implement the 30-point Canada-U.S. Smart Border Declaration signed by John Manley, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tom Ridge, Director of the Office of Homeland Security in the United States. The two are scheduled to meet again next week.
"Sept. 11 had a dramatic impact on how we approach the world and protect the citizens of both countries," said Canadian customs Commissioner Robert Wright. "We have to share information so we can work together seamlessly."
Immigration and Naturalization Commissioner James Ziglar said if the United States and Canada continue to work together, they will prevail.
"The terrorists have failed and they will continue to fail because of the principals and ideals shared by Canada and the United States," Ziglar said.
Bonner said he favored screening cargo before it is sent because, "it'll give us a little more time and take some pressure off the borders."
Bonner said once the agreement is reached with Canada he would like to extend the pre-screening concept to other nations.
The meeting also was used to examine some of the technology used to try to foil terrorists and drug smugglers. Among the tools is the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System known as VACIS. The units are priced from $850,000 to $1 million. Some units use gamma ray imaging technology and some use X-ray technology.
The gamma ray units are newer and more effective. They inspect freight containers on pallets and in trucks, cargo containers, rail cars and passenger vehicles. Operators viewing the gamma ray images on a video monitor can identify voids, false walls or ceilings and other secret compartments used to smuggle explosives, weapons and drugs.
Operators searching for stolen or smuggled goods can use the images to determine whether the cargo is inconsistent with the cargo on the manifest
There are about two dozen in operation in the United States, covering only about 2 percent of the cargo. Customs spokesman Zachary Mann said most cargo is eyeballed and if something is suspicious, a VACIS unit can be used in many cases.
Other devices on display included a radiation detector and an ITEMISER that sounds an alarm when a programmed substance is detected.
"We wanted to see first-hand how to use this technology," Bonner said.
Thursday's meeting was the sixth on the accords; another is set for February.
