TRANSEC is the acronym of the Transport Security Division of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in the British Government. TRANSEC's legal responsibilities cover aviation, maritime, railways and channel tunnel industries. A major aspect of our counter-terrorist strategy involves the use of explosives detection systems in various forms. The article focuses on one particular detection system, namely Remote Air Sampling for Canine Olfaction, commonly known as RASCO. In simple terms, a polythene probe some eighteen inches in length, is inserted under the curtain side or through the rubber seals of a container door, and by means of a vacuum, air is extracted from the container onto a sample tube or filter. That sample tube is then taken to a discrete analysis area where it is placed on a stand among other sample tubes. A suitably trained dog then examines the tubes and if the target material is present, the dog will indicate passively. Further samples can of course, be taken and additional runs can be carried out to confirm the analysis.
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