The Border Guard will use 5-7 heartbeat scanners.
Border Guard is acquiring new heartbeat scanners at Finnish border crossings to expose unauthorized persons.
The purpose of the devices is to reveal hidden or hidden persons from, for example, cars, trucks, buses and motorhomes. Vehicles can be inspected with equipment without border inspectors having to go inside the car or open its doors.
A total of 5-7 new heart rate scanners are to be acquired at border crossing points. It is possible to move them from one place to another as needed.
At border crossing points from time to time, individuals hiding in vehicles are detected. In some European countries, for example, dozens of people have been found in truck containers at once, but no such large cases have occurred in Finland.
“The cases are isolated and rare. Hiding is one of the ways among others to try to enter Finland without permission. It is not a very common phenomenon at Finland’s borders, ”says the head of the Situation Center of the Border Guard Headquarters. Mikko Lehmus.
Future heart rate scanners will work by attaching particularly sensitive sensors to the exterior surfaces of the vehicle being inspected.
The sensors are supposed to detect the vibration caused by the heartbeats of the people hiding from the car’s structures, even if they are hiding seemingly motionless.
The sensors transmit information about possible vibration to the computer. Some manufacturers promise a result in 30 to 60 seconds on their websites.
Heartbeat scanners are to be used mainly for monitoring traffic entering Finland. If necessary, the equipment can also be used to check traffic departing from Finland.
According to the Border Guard, the scanners are not used to monitor all incoming cars, but focus on individual situations based on analysis and observations.
At the Border Guard have had similar devices in use in the past, but they are becoming obsolete or already obsolete. The number of previous equipment is not disclosed by the Border Guard for tactical reasons.
Similar systems are in use in other European countries.
Now the Border Guard is acquiring five new heart rate scanners through a tender. The intention is for the equipment to become available at border crossing points next spring.
In connection with the tender, the Border Guard announces that it will reserve the possibility to acquire two more devices by the end of 2023.
Cross-border traffic Supervision is currently being reformed in other ways in Finland. Customs is about to introduce new X-ray equipment at the eastern border next spring.
A completely new train X-ray device will be delivered to Imatra. Until now, trains crossing the eastern border have only been illuminated in Vainikkala.
In addition, the previous X-ray equipment for Vaalimaa road traffic and Vainikkala train traffic will be replaced by the Director of Customs Supervision Kari Marjamäen according to new, modern hardware.
X-ray devices are not intended to expose stealth passengers, but are used to control the movement of goods. The devices aim to detect, for example, drug and tobacco smuggling.
“The new equipment will significantly increase the efficiency of Customs’ inspection activities. With the help of increasing throughput volumes, freight traffic can be inspected more comprehensively, ”says Marjamäki.
X-ray image of a freight wagon taken by a train X-ray. The carriage has nickel stone.
.
