International
Workshop on Radiological Sciences and Applications Vienna, Austria; 16-18 March
2005
The
Pilot Portal Radiation-Monitor System in Uzbekistan
S. Djalilov1, R.B. Knapp2, A. Loshak2, V.D. Petrenko3, J.H. Richardson2, B.S. Yuldashev3,4
1State Customs
Committee, Tashkent, Uzbekistan 2Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California, U.S.A. 3Institute of Nuclear Physics,
Tashkent, Uzbekistan 4Academy
of Sciences, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
A portal radiation-monitor pilot system has been established at four high-priority ports-of-entry in Uzbekistan. This pilot system is an initial deterrent against illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials and demonstrates an effective approach for the deployment, operation, maintenance, and management of a portal monitoring system.
Central Asia
is a historic center for the transport of high-value freight but with this
commerce comes the opportunity for smuggling. Currently, illicit trafficking
through Central Asia includes opiates from Afghanistan to Europe and nuclear
and radioactive materials from source locations in the Russian Federation to
points south. Routes for these two trades are expected to utilize the same
compromised ports-of-entry, though in the opposite directions.
Uzbekistan is
one conduit for illicit trafficking in Central Asia. An effective portal
radiation-monitor pilot system in Uzbekistan would hinder and deter ñ but not
eliminate -- smuggling efforts across the region. In Uzbekistan, railroads and
the primary highway networks are expected to be the main routes for smuggling.
Known and suspected drug smuggling routes, commercial traffic volume, and the
location of probable nuclear and radioactive material suppliers and end-users
have been used to guide the installation order of a portal radiation-monitoring
system.
The four
ports-of-entry selected for the Uzbekistan pilot system are Gisht-Kuprik,
Tashkent International Airport, Ayritom, and Alat. Gisht-Kuprik is the major
highway link between southern Kazakhstan and Tashkent. Ayritom is near the city
of Termiz on the highway that links Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. Alat is on the
border with Turkmenistan, south of Bukhara. Vehicle and pedestrian portal
radiation-monitors were installed to screen southbound traffic at Gisht-Kuprik,
Ayritom, and Alat. Pedestrian portal radiation monitors were installed to
screen departing passengers at the Tashkent International Airport. All
radiation monitors were purchased from Aspect in Dubna, Russia and installation
was completed in 2003.
An effective portal radiation-monitoring system consists of
a committed management team, technical specialists, and trained operators in
addition to installed monitors. In Uzbekistan, a novel collaboration has been
established among the State Customs Committee and the Institute of Nuclear
Physics. The State Customs Committee has overall ownership and authority for
the system, its customs agents operate the monitors, and these agents are the
initial responders to alarms. The Institute of Nuclear Physics provides the
technical expertise that includes installation, calibration, maintenance, and
secondary alarm response; mobile response units are being developed to rapidly
and accurately identify seized material and recommend handling procedures.
Development of alarm response procedures and training material as well as
conducting the training of customs personnel is conducted collaboratively.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has worked with these parties from the
projectís conception. This pilot system has detected several illicit shipments
of radioactive material.
This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S.
Department of Energy by University of California, Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory under Contract W-7405-Eng-48.