At a ceremony held at the SAPS Training School in Pretoria last November, the Border Police Unit under Director van der Westhuizen took possession of some very sophisticated technological equipment which will help in their fight against crime, specifically in regard to transfer of narcotics, stolen vehicles and firearms across our borders with neighbouring states.
The equipment was funded by Italy through the United Nations and that country was represented by its First Secretary Mr Michele Pala. The National Commissioner of the SAPS, Mr Selebi, was represented by Divisional Commissioner J. H. Deyzel, then the southern African representative of the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNODCCP).
The equipment (valued at R1,1 million) supplied to the Border Police consists of some sophisticated endoscopic search equipment supplied by the local company VIP Technologies and three electronic drug detection systems supplied by ECM/MIT from the leading Canadian company Intelligent Detection Systems (IDS). The NDS (Narcotics Detection System) 2000 is a portable handheld unit that operates from mains voltage, a car cigarette lighter or its own internal rechargeable battery. Using gas chromatography and surface ionisation detection the compact unit is a chemical laboratory in a box and can detect, identify and indicate the concentration of illegal drugs ranging from opiates (heroin etc) and amphetamines through cannabis and its derivatives to cocaine. Other troublesome drugs such as Ecstasy and Mandrax are also detected.
In his presentation, Gary Lewis of the UNODCCP indicated that South Africa had been identified as an important destination and transit point for illegal drugs which include cocaine, mandrax, heroin and hashish. The UNODCCP has worked together with the SAPS over the last eighteen months in developing a plan to deal with the problem, the initial target area being the borders between this country, Swaziland and Mozambique. With the generous financial contribution from Italy the SAPS would now be aided in their task with the latest in equipment. The next phase would be to see the UNODCCP assist financially in training of task teams where police, customs and immigration would work together to control the problem.
In accepting the equipment on behalf of the SAPS, Commissioner Deyzel thanked the UNODCCP for its cooperation over the last few years which had contributed to the recent major seizure of a large quantity of hashish at the port of Durban. He pointed out that the porosity of our borders is being exploited by the criminal element and the new technology would help the SAPS not only combat narcotics trafficking, but also car theft and illegal transit of weapons. Commissioner Deyzel said that this new equipment would take the SAPS into the future and would improve the effectiveness of search routines without causing unnecessary delay.
After the presentation the equipment was demonstrated to the VIP guests and the media by officers from the Border Unit in Pretoria, detection of drugs being demonstrated by taking samples from the steering wheel of a vehicle which had been touched by an officer who had handled Cocaine earlier that day. A strong positive alarm was obtained from both the steering wheel of the vehicle and the officer's hands (drugs are extremely difficult to wash off), a scene in practice that would provide sufficient evidence for a more thorough search. Electronic drug and explosive detectors detect parts per billion, but are still less sensitive than a well-trained dog, the two techniques being used widely overseas to complement each other.
Intelligent Detection Systems is a leading supplier of both narcotics and explosives electronic detection systems. Their proven and widely used detectors range from the hand-held NDS 2000 and EVD 3000 (for explosives) right through to a comprehensive car-bomb-detector which scans an entire vehicle.
For details about ECM, tel: (012) 329 4116; for details about MIT, tel: (012) 348 0569.
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