San Diego – U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today the deployment of the Z Portal at the San Ysidro, Calif. port of entry near San Diego. The Z Portal is a drive-through inspection system capable of scanning passenger vehicles for security threats and contraband coming across the border.

The Z Portal produces multi-view images that show changes in density, alerting officers to the potential presence of hidden stowaways, narcotics, merchandise and other concealed threats. ( Z-Portal Vehicle Imaging System (pdf - 92 KB.) )

“The advanced technology offered by the Z Portal is an additional tool deployed as part of CBP’s strategic layered defense at the borders,” said Assistant Commissioner for Field Operations Thomas Winkowski. “The Z Portal complements our currently deployed technology by providing a clearer image of low density objects that may be hidden in vehicle fenders, tires, trunks, gas tanks, or under the hood.”

The Z Portal will assist CBP officers in preventing contraband, including illegal drugs and terrorist weapons, from entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. In addition, the Z Portal will reduce the risks faced by CBP officers when physically dismantling vehicles suspected of carrying concealed contraband and crawling into confined spaces to detect and retrieve hidden merchandise or persons that may pose a threat.

The San Ysidro port of entry, the busiest in the U.S., seized more than 82,000 pounds of narcotics in fiscal year 2007. More than 56,000 pounds of narcotics were seized during the first nine months of fiscal year 2008.