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The Bureau of Customs seized P1.16 billion worth of illegal drugs from January to August this year
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In the last two weeks of August alone, over P18.5 million worth of such goods along with other misdeclared items were intercepted at several ports
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The agency’s X-ray Inspection Project is instrumental in preventing and stopping the entry of contraband items
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107 units of x-ray machines are deployed across multiple ports and airports in the Philippines to prevent smuggling and entry of illegal drugs
The Bureau of Customs has seized illegal drugs with a street value of more than P1.16 billion from January to August 2023.
In the last two weeks of August alone, over P18.5 million worth of such goods along with other misdeclared items were intercepted at several ports, BOC said in a statement.
Instrumental in this operation is the BOC X-ray Inspection Project (XIP), which is responsible for 107 X-ray machines deployed across multiple ports and airports in the country. The machines are crucial in identifying contraband items without having to conduct invasive searches, BOC said.
The agency said it sees an optimized function of XIP offices through a well-defined strategy that “centers on bolstering border control and enhancing national security, leveraging technology and automation.”
XIP, which operates under the BOC Intelligence Group, advocates real-time information exchange among all ports to thwart smuggling attempts, offering full support for the Remote Image Analysis Centers (RIAC) Project.
A combination of hardware and software, RIAC allows BOC to receive and interpret radioscopic images sent from operational scanner sites in real-time. It also means that the BOC can analyze X-ray images and improve detection capabilities for increased efficiency and faster inspections of shipments.
The RIACs are fully integrated into the Customs processing system, allowing BOC to leverage its risk management functions for more effective targeting, and strengthen BOC’s capability to effectively manage and operate its modern non-intrusive inspection technology and processes.
The remote image capability inspection also boosts the BOC’s anti-corruption efforts as it eliminates face-to-face interaction between traders and officials examining radiographic images. The improvement in the process also impacts positively on the conduct of non-intrusive inspections both at the piers and airports where x-ray equipment are deployed.
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