The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General has issued a report finding that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has not fully leveraged its large-scale non-intrusive inspection systems to detect contraband in import shipments.
NII systems use x-ray or gamma ray technology to detect anomalies, which can lead to seizures of contraband such as fentanyl. Small-scale NII systems include those used to examine individual travelers, cargo components, mail, baggage, or similarly sized objects. Large-scale NII systems include high-energy railcar scanning systems and low- and multi-energy portal systems that scan vehicles and cargo.
However, the report states that CBP has not fully or effectively deployed its large-scale NII systems, “potentially wasting taxpayer funds, missing opportunities to detect and seize contraband, and losing an important tool to fight the fentanyl epidemic.”
For example, CBP purchased 150 large-scale NII systems from 2020 through 2024 but deployed and installed only 50 at ports of entry across the country. Of the rest, 21 were deployed but not installed, 31 were being built and awaiting delivery, 43 were in storage, and CBP could not provide the status of the remaining five. Reasons for non-deployment included interference with radiation portal monitors, insufficient funding, and difficulties obtaining land lease agreements.
Further, many installed systems were not operational. CBP had deployed and installed 361 large-scale NII systems along the U.S.-Mexico border at the time of the OIG review, but 166 of these were inoperable between fiscal years 2019 and 2023, in some cases for up to 344 days, while awaiting repair. CBP also did not ensure that contractors met specific sustainment and maintenance requirements or record accurate data on the utilization and operability of the systems.
In response to these problems, the report recommended that CBP (1) develop and implement a plan to deploy and install large-scale NII systems, (2) develop and implement policies and procedures to hold vendors accountable by tracking and applying any disincentives for longstanding and ineffective repairs, (3) develop and implement guidance to ensure that NII utilization data is recorded accurately to include equipment downtime, and (4) update guidance to ensure the NII operational interruption data recorded reflects the reasons for an operational disruption. CBP agreed with all four recommendations
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