Latest technology utilized at border checkpoints
By Ray Gomez

Story Updated: Nov 18, 2008

This fiscal year the U.S. Border Patrol saw a decrease in drug smuggling.
So how exactly does Border Patrol detect illegal smuggling at the checkpoints.
Border patrol checkpoints are a critical tool in a national border protection strategy that when combined creates a strong force to illegal entry.
" Its like any criminal organization they're going to smuggle anything that’s illegal."
Checkpoints in the Laredo sector account for 30 to 40 percent of all seizures of illegal contraband.
It all starts with the canine units, which detect concealed humans and narcotics.
" Our dogs are trained to indicate the presence of trained odor and our instructor can interpret their behavior."
Each dog will react different to illegal contraband; they can either sit or stare quietly when they are suspicious.
" Border Patrol agents and their canine units will first alert to something illegal. It will then be referred to secondary inspection and after that if there are any other questions. They will refer it to the mobile VCIS machine."
" When we do the scan, we do not know what it is. We just know that there is an anomaly in there and we need to further inspected."
Systems like the vehicle cargo inspection system, takes a gamma ray image of a tractor-trailer or a vehicle.
" If we find an image that is not consistent. We will open the trailer, find out what it is and then will go from there."
The systems lets agents enhance the picture to further determine if there is drugs or illegal immigrants inside the vehicle.
" As you can see at this point you know there’s something in there that it shouldn't be. Maybe someone fell asleep back there but we have to open it and find out.â€