Mobile scanners in TT for ports’ security

Discussions on the acquisition of fixed scanners were also underway with the port authority, he said.

As soon as the legal issues are cleared up, Dillon said, the mobile scanners will be put to use at the Port of Port of Spain, Point Lisas and other ports.

In response to a question during yesterday’s sitting of the Senate on measures being taken to improve the monitoring of containers being brought into the country, and in view of a recent find of a quantity of arms and ammunition at a courier company in El Socorro, Dillon said the Ministry of National Security will continue to work with the Customs and Excise Divisions of the Ministry of Finance with respect to security at the ports. He expressed appreciation to the national security agencies that worked together with Customs and Excise and made the discovery of the weapons in El Socorro.

He was advised by the Comptroller of Customs, he said, that the Customs and Excise Division was using its canine outfit and guards of the preventative branch to carry out its monitoring and security duties. They would be enhanced when the scanners are put into use, he said.

As to whether any arms and ammunition would have slipped into the country through the ports, Dillon said, these matters were being thoroughly investigated by the police and other security agencies.

Additionally, to enhance port and national security, Dillon said,recently, the Comptroller of Customs was included as part of the Government’s strategic operations team. The team includes the Commissioner of Police, Chief of Defence Staff, and Director of Strategic Services Agency. The team meets weekly.

Coming out of the strategic operations team’s joint border protection study, he said, there is a recommendation to establish a joint border protection task force. This is being considered.