U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Robert C. Bonner announced recently a milestone in the Container Security Initiative (CSI) with 25 ports now operational in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America.

    “The 25 ports represent the world’s major seaports, but we are not stopping there. We plan to expand the CSI network even farther,” he said. “The expansion will extend port security protection to more than 80 percent of all containers coming to the United States.”

    CSI will be expanding to strategic locations that ship substantial amounts of cargo to the United States, and that have the infrastructure and technology in place to participate in the program.

    The 25 operational ports include: Halifax, Montreal, and Vancouver, Canada; Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Le Havre, France; Bremerhaven and Hamburg, Germany; Antwerp, Belgium; Singapore; Yokohama, Tokyo, Nagoya and Kobe, Japan; Hong Kong; Göteborg, Sweden; Felixstowe, United Kingdom; Genoa and La Spezia, Italy; Busan, Korea; Durban, South Africa; Port Klang and Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia; Piraeus, Greece; Algeciras, Spain; Laem Chabang, Thailand.

    CSI was proposed by Bonner and launched in January 2002. CSI has been accepted globally as a bold and revolutionary initiative to secure maritime cargo shipments against the terrorist threat.

    “The primary purpose of CSI is to help protect the global trading system and the trade lanes between CSI ports and the United States. By collaborating with foreign customs administrations, we are working towards a safer, more secure world trading system,” Bonner said.

    The World Customs Organization and the G8 have supported CSI expansion through their adoption of resolutions that support the implementation of the security measures introduced by CSI at ports throughout the world. On April 22, 2004, the European Union and the Department of Homeland Security signed an agreement committing both parties to further cooperate on CSI and related matters.

    CSI is a fully reciprocal program. Japanese and Canadian officers are currently stationed and working in key U.S. ports to screen containers destined for their respective countries.

    CSI is founded on four core elements: 1) using intelligence and automated information to identify and target all containers that pose a risk for terrorism; (2) pre-screening those containers that pose a risk at the port of departure before they arrive at U.S. ports; (3) using detection technology to quickly pre-screen containers that pose a risk; and (4) using smarter, tamper-evident containers.

    Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology allows the screening of a larger portion of commercial traffic in less time. This enables targeting containers that pose a potential risk for terrorism while facilitating legitimate trade. Customs officers use large-scale gamma ray and x-ray imaging systems to safely and efficiently screen conveyances for contraband, including weapons of mass destruction.

    These units can scan the interior of a full-size 40-foot container in under a minute.

    As part of CSI, inspectors also use radiation detection devices to scan for signs of radioactive materials. If necessary, containers are opened and unloaded by the host government Customs service for a more intensive manual inspection. CSI officers observe this manual inspection.

Southern border security

    CBP includes more than 41,000 employees to manage, control and protect the nation’s borders, at and between the official ports of entry. “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is addressing the terrorist threat nationwide,” Bonner said. “There have been concerns that terrorists will try to enter our country across our southern border. These reports are not new to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and we have been preparing for the possibility and are taking appropriate actions to better secure our borders against the terrorist threat.”

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection has taken a number of steps to increase security across borders during the period leading up to the presidential election. These actions and initiatives include a broad range of strategies and defenses that CBP deploys in its anti-terror mission. CBP’s protective measures include intensified activities in the areas of passenger processing, cargo targeting and inspection, non-intrusive technology inspections, as well as a number of initiatives to increase security along the U.S. – Mexico Border.

    In addition to the above actions, CBP also works with national intelligence agencies to share data on suspicious activity, and shares information with CBP personnel on the front lines. It provides extensive anti-terrorism training to uniformed personnel, including specific mention of U.S. – Mexico border threats. CBP has also increased coordination and intelligence sharing with Mexican contacts through the Mexican Liaison Units on the southern border. CBP’s Office of Border Patrol is currently working closely with these units in response to information received and ongoing joint operations.

    In conjunction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE’s) Anti-Smuggling Units and CBP’s Office of Intelligence, CBP’s Office of Border Patrol focuses its intelligence and surveillance operations on known smuggling operations that have previously trafficked aliens from significant interest countries, and develop operations to target and disrupt these especially high-interest smuggling activities.

    CBP provides referrals for criminal prosecutions for aliens possessing fraudulent documents, making false statements, or committing other immigration violations, where there is a suspicion of a connection of terrorism or other national security interest.

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reassigned 200 CBP Border Patrol Agents to the high-threat smuggling corridors of the Arizona – Mexico border. CBP is continuing deployments of special units including the Border Patrol Tactical Unit, Special Response Teams, and the Border Patrol Search Trauma and Rescue Team in these areas. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will maintain and expand coordinated, heightened security efforts under the Arizona Border Control Initiative (ABCI) to establish operational control over the weakest and most vulnerable area of our Southwest Border where more than 40 percent of illegal aliens are apprehended.

    CBP conducts increased inspections of rail, truck and air cargo identified through CBP’s Automated Targeting System to ensure that all high-risk cargo is subject to further examination. In addition, CBP is increasing the number of examinations utilizing large-scale non-intrusive inspection systems.

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the protection of the U.S. border. CBP unified Customs, Immigration, and Agriculture Inspectors and the Border Patrol into one border agency for the United States.