U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Laredo Port of Entry has announced upcoming construction in the pre-primary inspection area of World Trade Bridge as part of a Non-Intrusive Inspection modernization and expansion project.
The NII Multi Energy Portal (MEP) construction commenced on Aug. 8, and is set to run tentatively through April 2024. The systems will be placed in the pre-primary area south of the primary inspection booths.
“Once complete, the MEP portals will scan commodities arriving from Mexico. CBP officers will adjudicate the images and in turn detect contraband and similar security threats promptly,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “The goal of this newly implemented technology is to enhance border security, all while facilitating the efficient flow of trade into the U.S.”
Some traffic delays are expected. All arriving trucks will be routed around the construction zones and will have access to all 15 inspection booths. This modernization and expansion project is an effort to alleviate wait times and to facilitate a more seamless travel process. In addition, the Free and Secure Trade empty truck traffic will now shift to the exterior FAST lanes outside of the import lot.
CBP advises planning ahead, monitoring Border Wait Times via Border Wait Times (cbp.gov) or the BWT app, and having all travel documents ready to present to CBP officers upon inspection to ensure quicker processing times.
