English_for_customs / English for customs / unit2 / 45

UNIT 2

PASSENGER CONTROL

2. Read the following- article and underline all the Customs tools mentioned in the text.

X-RAY MACHINE

For any Customs officer that has ever searched a vehicle, Cargosearch is a dream come true. It is a giant X-ray machine that can examine an entire vehicle.

Cargosearch is proving to be a very valuable tool in the detection of narcotics. In its first three months of operation, it has been credited with no less than ten drug seizures, including one in which $ 16 million worth of cocaine and marijuana were found in the steel frames of a 40 foot flatbed trailer as well as the tires.

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 and clear 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.

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

Discuss with your partner when and where these tools are used by Customs officers.

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