In September the Kuwait General Administration of Customs launched the use of Soter body scanners.
The new device uses x-rays and works to uncover any contraband within the human body, and it is expected to contribute to the reduction of smuggled items into the country, especially items that are hidden within the human body.
In an interview with Kuwait Television the Director General of the General Administration of Customs, Khaled Al-Saif, said, "We are currently undergoing a complete modernization of our systems and procedures using the latest in technology that advances Customs duties. The system initiated … was placed in two locations, one in Kuwait International airport and the other at the passenger terminal at Shuwaikh Sea Port."
The two devices assist in uncovering any contraband such as drugs that have been hidden within the human body, either though ingestion or insertion, which are difficult to detect. In the past the GDFC would transfer the suspected passenger to a hospital and the hospital would have to x-ray the suspect in order to obtain a result. This requires a lot of effort and holds a degree of danger because the suspect is most probably a smuggler who will have to leave the customs jurisdiction to be escorted using the assistance of the Ministry of Interior.
Sheikh Faisal Al Abdullah Al Mubarak Al Sabah – Project Team Manager, added, "With the development of new technologies to assist us to wage a war on drugs in order to protect our families and friends, we found that the Soter device was the optimum solution to identify whether any suspect that is exposed to the device actually does carry any contraband within his body whether it was ingested or inserted in the bowels. This will help greatly reduce smuggling using these techniques, noting that only those suspected of smuggling will be checked using this device."
