Fact Sheet

Date issued: June 2009
Last reviewed: June 2013

Detection Technology Equipment

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) uses a variety of technology to help prevent contraband and dangerous goods from entering Canada. The use of contraband detection technology enables CBSA officers to conduct effective, non-intrusive inspections, and allows the CBSA to focus on high-risk individuals and goods.

Over the past several years, the CBSA has invested approximately $65 million to increase its inventory of contraband detection equipment to include the following:

• X-ray systems, including baggage, mobile, and roll-in cargo systems;
• Large scale cargo inspection systems used to detect contraband, weapons and other dangerous goods in marine containers, rail cars, or trucks;
• Large scale cargo inspection systems used to scan pallets and large pieces of freight at marine container examination facilities;
• Contraband Outfitted Mobile Examination Trucks (COMET), used to transport CBSA officers and contraband detection equipment, allowing for efficient and timely inspections;
• Ion mobility spectrometry technology systems and hand-held systems for identifying trace amounts of narcotics and explosives residue;
• Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV) for under-vessel detection, used in marine vessel operations;
• Specimen isolation toilets, used for the recovery of banned substances at airports, cruise ship terminals and border crossings;
• Flexible video probes, used to search for undeclared currency and contraband;
• Density meters, used at major border and marine ports to determine the density of a surface or object. The meters can discover hidden walls and help the CBSA detect contraband;
• Fibrescopes, used at major border and marine ports to view areas that are inaccessible to the naked eye due to obstructions;
• Submersible pole cameras, used at marine ports and major commercial border crossings to inspect ships, containers and tractor trailers;
• Miniature pole cameras, used at major international airports to inspect aircrafts;
• Laser range finders, used to measure the inside of commercial containers; and,
• Mirror kits, used to inspect the undercarriage of vehicles and other hard to reach areas.

The CBSA continues to explore the use of new state-of-the-art technology to maintain its commitment as an innovative leader in border management.

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