Home Secretary visits Heathrow
Home Secretary Theresa May meets UK Border officer Michael Edwards at Heathrow Airport
Staff at Heathrow Airport have been showing the new Home Secretary the latest checks and technology aimed at keeping our border secure.
UK Border Agency staff showed Teresa May anti-forgery equipment and drug detection scanners during a tour of Terminal 5.
She watched staff carry out passport checks and question passengers who were flying direct from the airport or had perhaps taken advantage of airport transfers between London’s airports.
The Cabinet minister was also given a demonstration by detection dogs and watched as officers used the latest technology to search bags for hidden, smuggled substances.
She was also briefed by the Operation Paladin unit, a joint UK Border Agency and Metropolitan Police team working at the border and in-country to identify child victims of trafficking and prosecute facilitators.
May said: “This was a valuable opportunity to meet frontline officers and see first hand the challenging work they carry out every day.
“Keeping Britain’s border secure is a priority for this Government – which is why it is crucial that we have vigilant border staff utilising the latest technology in our fight against the people traffickers, drug smugglers and illegal immigrants determined to come here and cause harm.”
Copyright Press Association 2010
