Two out of four new­ly ac­quired Smiths De­tec­tion heavy com­mer­cial ve­hi­cle scan­ners have of­fi­cial­ly been in­tro­duced to im­prove ef­fi­cien­cy and se­cu­ri­ty at the na­tion’s ports. The com­mis­sion­ing cer­e­mo­ny oc­curred yes­ter­day at the Port of Port-of-Spain, with the re­main­ing two set to be in­stalled at the Port of Point Lisas.

Fi­nance Min­is­ter Colm Im­bert led the rib­bon-cut­ting cer­e­mo­ny, joined by Works and Trans­port Min­is­ter Ro­han Sinanan, Port Au­thor­i­ty chair­man Lyle Alexan­der, and act­ing Comp­trol­ler of the Cus­toms and Ex­cise Di­vi­sion, Ri­ad Ju­man.

Ac­cord­ing to Im­bert, the scan­ners, which cost of US$12.9 mil­lion (TT$87 mil­lion), will en­hance the de­tec­tion of il­le­gal con­tra­band, nar­cotics, and weapons.