Summary

Terrorism and Drug Trafficking: Threats and Roles of Explosives and Narcotics Detection Technology

NSIAD/RCED-96-76BR  March 27, 1996

Full Report (PDF, 22 pages)   

Even though conventional X-ray screening falls short in its ability to reveal concealed narcotics and explosives, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Customs Service have lagged in introducing advanced technologies to detect drugs and explosives smuggled aboard commercial aircraft. The intelligence community believes that the threat of terrorism within the United States has grown and that commercial aircraft are likely to remain targets. According to the FBI, terrorist attacks could come from groups that are hard to infiltrate and control. In January 1995, a plot to attack U.S. flights in Asia was discovered. Narcotics trafficking is a continuing problem. Although cocaine has been the main threat since 1985, heroin is a growing concern. Trafficking is most active today along the southwest border of the United States. To counter these threats, FAA recently certified an advanced automated explosive detection system, but has not required its deployment. The cost of buying and installing the equipment at the 75 busiest domestic airports could be as high as $2.2 billion, according to preliminary FAA estimates. Customs has one truck X-ray system at the southwest border to detect narcotics and plans to spend $38 million to acquire others. Its plans for seaports and the use of mobile systems have not been clearly defined. Other countries, including the United Kingdom and France, are already using advanced technologies to detect explosives and narcotics.

Subject Terms

Automated security systems
Commercial aviation
Crime prevention
Drug trafficking
Terrorists
Explosives
Homeland security
Law enforcement
Narcotics
Sabotage
Terrorism
Transportation safety
Asia
Colombia
Mexico
NAFTA
North American Free Trade Agreement