Narcotics detection can be a hazardous occupation, but it has always been somewhat safer than the old television shows used to imply. In old “cop shows” police officers would open packages and taste a powdered substance if they thought it might be narcotic. Today, law enforcement officers have tools which help them locate contraband and tests that prove what the substance is.
There are several ways to detect contraband that is hidden as it is being moved across the country. One tool some law enforcement agencies depend upon is trained dogs to detect contraband. These K-9 units are very successful at finding hidden contraband. Often the contraband is narcotic but it can also be currency or another type. K-9 units, however, can be expensive to train, feed, and house. Many agencies, like the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and state and local police officers, also have narcotics detection tools like those manufactured by Campbell/Harris Security Equipment Company (CSECO).
The Buster K910B Density Meter from CSECO is one such narcotics detection tool. Safe and thoroughly tested for over 30 years, the Buster has been declared the “gold standard” – the top echelon to which all other density meters aspire. The Buster allows agents and officers to scan vehicles, rooms, and other places where there may be hidden compartments or hidden contraband with ease. The readout is easy to see and understand; the audible signal when a discrepancy is found helps to draw attention to the result.
An additional piece of technology that assists law enforcement with narcotics detection is the FV Series Fiberscope, which is used by many government departments, as well as law enforcement. This fiberscopes probe provides visibility in areas that would otherwise be inaccessible, such as fuel tanks, between door panels, behind dashboards, between walls, and inside upholstery, to name a few. Its fiber optic light allows vision in dark places and is not susceptible to damage from fuel. It also has a camera available. CSECO has introduced a newer version of this tool, the Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope Inspection System, in February of 2014. The Perfect Vision V20 Videoscope works similarly but has added features and a clearer view, as well as a larger screen to allow for more ease of visual inspection with the scope. This equipment has also been certified safe for use in dangerous locations like fuel tanks by the Underwriters Laboratory (UL), the only piece of narcotics detection equipment to earn this certification.
Narcotics detection is still a very important part of the job of law enforcement, despite all the strides that have been made in the field. People still attempt to smuggle illegal “recreational” drugs and prescription drugs across borders and the money that can be made from these transactions is too much of a temptation for some people. This means that they try to find more sneaky ways to hide their contraband, and law enforcement officers need better tools that they can trust in order to prevent and stop the smugglers. That is why CSECO offers narcotics detection equipment that can be trusted.