Athlone Mail Centre to receive new drug detection system

By Rebekah O'Reilly

An Post's Athlone Mail Centre is set to receive a new trace chemical detection system as part of a €400,000 Revenue procurement aimed at strengthening customs screening across Ireland.

The Office of the Revenue Commissioners has launched a tender for four ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) trace detection systems, with one of the units earmarked for the Athlone facility, alongside installations at Dublin Port, Knock Airport and Kerry Airport. The technology will allow Customs officers to detect and identify trace amounts of chemicals in real time, including substances that may be hazardous or illegal.

The systems are designed to screen legitimate cargo, postal and parcel consignments, and personal effects, identifying substances that are invisible to the naked eye.

A total of 13 difference substances will be screened for using the new system, including but not limited to narcotics like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, amphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as well as 'emerging or evolving' narcotics such as fentanyl, mephedrone, gamma-butyrolactone (GBL), benzylpiperazine (BZP), naphyrone, ketamine, and synthetic cannabinoids.

The Athlone site plays a key role in the postal network as the country's primary mail and parcel hub, making it a strategic location for customs screening of international post entering the State.

Revenue has set out stringent technical and operational requirements for suppliers bidding for the contract. All proposed systems must pass a series of criteria before progressing to evaluation.

The procurement, which is supported by European Union funding, is valued at an estimated €400,000. The successful supplier will provide the systems under a contract with a duration of ten years.