The term ‘drug interdiction’ refers to the act of preventing illegal drugs from reaching their destination. This is important in stemming the flow and spread of narcotics and countering the operations of organized criminal groups, especially those involved in the illegal drugs trade.
Apart from training, the use of drug interdiction equipment is vitally important to keep these harmful and illegal substances off the streets.
When it comes to drug interdiction equipment, Campbell/Harris Security Equipment Company (CSECO) is often the first name to come to mind with law enforcement agencies around the country.
While CSECO offers a wide variety of contraband and drug detection tools, its best-known product is the Buster density meter. Most drug interdiction agents who have used the Buster consider it as one of their important tools. It has been called the “Gold Standard.”
The Buster is a density meter, but a density meter for law enforcement use. Developed by CSECO founder Patrick J. Campbell, with input from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, the Buster can detect stashes of narcotics, illegal drugs, and other hidden contraband without having to damage the scanned areas.
The Buster uses a low-intensity gamma radiation emitter and scintillation detector to quickly scan vehicles or residents for hidden narcotics, illegal substances, or any other type of contraband. It is designed to allow an inspector to determine whether the suspect vehicle, item, or residence for contraband in just a matter of minutes.
One of the great things about the Buster is its ability to quickly determine whether the suspect vehicle (or any object) has something hidden in it. And best of all, inspectors do not have to tear down parts of a vehicle to prove there is hidden contraband.
Drug interdiction agents and border patrol officers have often used the Buster density meter for quick inspections of vehicles. But they also need thorough and detailed searches, especially through normally inaccessible areas such as a gas tank, the recesses of a dashboard, or the doors of vehicles. CSECO has a couple of visual inspection tools that are perfect for this task.
Fiberscopes – These are flexible optical fiber bundles with an eyepiece on one end and lens on the other. They are commonly used by drug interdiction agents for examining and inspecting difficult-to-reach parts of a vehicle. Many law enforcement agents in the US and (especially) overseas still use fiberscopes and consider them as one of the top tools for contraband detection.
CSECO has the FV Series fiberscopes and boroscopes to aid inspectors in drug and contraband detection. The FV Series fiberscope provides a two-way articulation giving the user a full 360-degree view inside of a vehicle fuel tank, dashboard, or door. The fiber optic bundle is covered by a heavy-duty and fuel- and gasoline-resistant tungsten coating. With over 16,000 individual strands of optical fiber and the high-intensity light handle, visibility is crystal clear even in the darkest spaces.
The FV Series Fiberscopes are usually used in conjunction with the Buster. With the addition of a video camera and monitor upgrades, inspectors can record everything they are inspecting while simultaneously showing them to their colleagues on screen.
CSECO offers a newer – and more comprehensive – visual inspection tool: The Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope Inspection System.
The Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope is a one-piece visual inspection device. Its most notable feature is its large, multi-directional high resolution color LCD display, which comes with a push-button dimming and digital zoom that provides 10 times the resolution of the leading fiberscope.
The large display allows the user to see clearly into the suspect area without losing visibility of their immediate surroundings and reduces the eye-fatigue often experienced when using a smaller screen or fiberscope. The larger screen also allows for longer, more productive, and safer visual inspections.
Like the fiberscope, the Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope has a flexible and articulating fuel- and gasoline-resistant shaft with a powerful built-in light source. However, the Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope doesn’t have tiny glass fibers, making it less susceptible to damage.
One of the most important features of the Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope is its UL certification for product safety. This is to certify that the Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope is “UL certified” safe and meets all applicable UL requirements and standards. It is the first videoscope to receive such a certification.
The UL safety certification means that the Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope can be used for more detailed inspections of dashboards, car doors, and even gas and fuel tanks.
The job of keeping illegal drugs off the streets is far from easy. Drug smugglers are constantly evolving their hiding and concealing methods. They have also become a lot bolder and more ingenious than ever. That is why law enforcement must work even harder – and smarter – to stay one step ahead. Through CSECO’s drug interdiction equipment, inspecting vehicles and other items for hidden drugs and contraband has never been easier and more accurate, leading to more productive inspections.