Nuclear smuggling

Nuclear smuggling risks continue to haunt our seaports

According to American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), the threat of terrorist smuggling at U.S. ports appears to be increasing.

Mechanisms to prevent cyber terrorism and illegal nuclear materials from being trafficked through ports must be intensified. Port Security Grant funds continue to help address these threats, but they must be directed to ports and not diluted out to other law enforcement entities that focus on lower-risk endeavors. And, increasingly, U.S. ports need more Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel, not fewer, to counter these risks.

These are the “take-away” messages that the AAPA hopes to instill when Maryland Port Administration Security Director Dave Espie testifies tomorrow (Thursday, July 7) on behalf of the association.