Today the Estonian Tax and Customs Board received the last unit of the five units of X-ray equipment from the Chinese technological company Nuctech, an X-ray equipment installed at Narva Railway Border Crossing Point. New equipment enables to examine the inward goods to Estonia significantly faster than so far and to detect illicit goods more efficiently.
In addition to the railway X-ray equipment, last year the stationary X-ray equipment was installed at Koidula and Luhamaa Border Crossing Points and two mobile screening devices were obtained, one for Narva Road Border Crossing Point and the other for the inland customs control.
According to the words of the director general of ETCB, Valdur Laid, the X-ray equipment helps to economise on time spent for one control up to 50 times. “The existing equipment has justified the investment in every respect, regarding both the quantities of illicit goods and faster customs control", said Laid. “We are dealing with the most modern equipment in the sense of technology, as a result of which the Estonian Border Crossing Points are among the ones having the best customs control capability in Europe”, added Laid.
Three producers offered suitable equipment to the Tax and Customs Board. The Chinese technological company Nuctech won the public procurement due to its favourable price and the provision of full maintenance and guarantee for ten years in addition. The whole investment for the acquisition of the five units of X-ray equipment formed 10.1 million euros.
The purchase of the equipment was financed in the amount of 2.55 million euros by the European Union Cohesion Fund and in the amount of 7.55 million euros by the state budget.