CUSTOMS KICKS OFF SEA CARGO TARGETING INITIATIVE

CUSTOMS KICKS OFF SEA CARGO TARGETING INITIATIVE    The U.S. Customs Service this week said it has started a new initiative to address high-risk cargo.
   The Sea Cargo Targeting Initiative is an automated system designed to better identify high-risk sea-going shipments into U.S. ports of entry while establishing new policies for dealing with those shipments.
   The initiative has three major components:
   * New criteria to Customs’ automated systems reflecting the latest information about possible terrorist activities.
   * Ensuring that all manifests are processed through the Automated Targeting System and reviewed by trained personnel.
   * Standardizing Customs procedure and practice when the system locates a high-risk shipment.
   Customs said the new initiative is designed to complement ongoing Customs efforts that enlist the support of the trade community in programs such as the Container Security Initiative and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism.
   Additionally, Customs officials anticipate more thorough examinations of cargo deemed high-risk by the new automated targeting system. All high-risk containers will be examined by non-intrusive inspection technology, including gamma ray scanning, radiation detection and the integrity of the container’s seal.
   Customs Commissioner Robert Bonner said the initiative, joined with CSI, C-TPAT and Customs’ developing computer-generated system, the Automated Commercial Environment, “are designed to create a formidable triad in the war against terrorism.”