Text 11.1. Technical means of customs control

Customs Administrations are responsible for facilitating trade while maintaining an appropriate level of control to prevent smuggling and other illegal Customs related activities. Today Customs Services have at their disposal a range of advanced technologies¹ suitable for checkpoint, vehicle and suspect item inspection at airports, railways, ports and other border crossings. These technologies vary in terms of their intrusiveness and their levels of technical sophistication. They can be categorized as manual and low-tech equipment, intrusive detection technology (seals), and higher technology equipment (radiation detection pagers, and X-ray and gamma ray scanners). Each technology has its security-enhancing benefits as well as its potential drawbacks.

¹ Technologies – new machines, equipment, and ways of doing things thatare based on modern knowledge about science and computers.

X-ray based inspection systems are the most common form of noninvasive inspection technology currently in use. The power source for X-ray systems is electrical, so the power can be turned on and off. X-rays detect differences in material densities to produce an image of the vehicle or container contents.

Due to the nature of X-ray methods, specific materials cannot be identified; but it is possible with gamma ray systems to detect specific materials like drugs and explosives.

For searching entire vehicles, Cargosearch, a giant X-ray machine, is used. Cargosearch is housed in an equipment building with an adjacent X-ray bay that vehicles are taken through by means of a transport mechanism.

The transport lifts the front of the vehicle about two inches off the cement and carries it through the bay, stopping automatically at the end of the scan.

It can rapidly scan a truck much more efficiently than hand searching, utilizing fewer inspectors per search.

When a suspect area is found, conventional means including the canine enforcement officer teams and inspectors armed with density meters, laser range finders, fiberoptic scopes and dielectrometers are used to further detect any contraband. After that comes the hard work of inspectors with metal saws, tire breakdown machines and cutting torches.

EXERCISES

I. Describe to your classmates one of the tools mentioned in the text without giving its name. Let your partner guess which tool you mean.

II. Match the words on the left (a–j) with their corresponding definitions on the right (1–10).

a. gas proof torch	1.	тяжелые плоскогубцы
b. heavy duty pliers	2.	разводной ключ
c. wire snips	3.	буравчик
d. shifting spanner	4.	щуп
e. screw driver	5.	заклепочный молоток и набор за-

клепок

f. gimlet holesaw	6.	ломик «фомка»
g. rivet gun and rivets	7.	стальная проволока
h. tuck stick	8.	ножницы для проволоки
i. steel wire	9.	газобезопасный фонарь
j. jimmy	10. отвертка

Study the following words and word combinations from the text.

the applied use of information прикладное использование инфор-

technologies (IT) мац онных технологий (ИТ)

to support core Customs подде живать основные таможен-

functions ные функции

goods declaration processing бработка декларации товаров

automated decision support автоматизированная поддержка при-

on the release of goods нятия решений о выпуске товара

flexible service options for гибкие опции услуг для ведения

doing business бизнеса

a computerized imagery компьютеризованная система изоб-

system for capturing ражений / снимков для сбора / за-

photographic data in an писи фотографических данных в

electronic format электронном формате

contraband concealment методы сокрытия контрабанды

methods

the Automated Targeting	автоматизированная поисковая сис-
System (ATS)	тема
enforcement and decision	инструмент правоприменения и под-
support tool	держки принятия решений
meticulously [mɪˈtɪkjʊləslɪ]	тщательно, скрупулезно
the application of selectivity	применение критериев селективно-
criteria	сти / выборочности
fraudulent	мошеннический
the declared value of	заявленная стоимость продукции
products
to fall outside predetermined	выход ть за пределы заранее опре-
parameters	деленных параметров
to support a wide range of	подде живать	широкий спектр
Customs operations	таможенных операций
automated data processing	технологии	автоматизированной
technologies	обработки данных