Today, 19th September 2008 at 12.00h, the Customs administration promoted and presented its newly-established Centralised Video monitoring System.
Besides the Director General of the CARM, Mr. Vanco Kargov, the event was also attended by the Minister of Interior, Ms. Gordana Jankuloska and other high representatives of the Ministry of Interior.
The overall solution consists of a System for Video Survailance and a Number Plate Recognition System, besed on IP Communication and manufactured by well-known companies in the field of video surveillance – SANYO – Japan and dedicated Micros – England.
The Video Surveillance System consists of a total of 240 cameras, out of which 44 high speed dome cameras with ability to zoom 576 times, 51 fixed cameras with wide dynamic range and 132 high resolution cameras for recognition of registration plates with invisible-to-the-human-eye infra red beam. The cameras will be monitored from a specially equipped Central Operational/Command Room through the existing computer network of the Customs Administration, which will be able to provide live streaming from all 22 Border Crossing Points and 18 inland Customs Offices.
On a centralized level, the control and surveillance system will be done from the Central Operational room, located in the Coordination and Communication Department. The central Operational room will enable control of all highs peed dome cameras, monitor the live cameras, review the images and manage the alarms on all locations simultaneously on five 42” LCD monitors and eight 19” LCD monitors. Highly professional staff will operate the Operational Room 24/7, throughout the whole year.
The surveillance is divided in three sub-systems, the first being used as a primary surveillance system and performing global and detailed surveillance of the customs offences. The second system will be used as a secondary surveillance system for detailed surveillance of the customs offices, as well as the third one which will also be used for other needs of the Customs Administration.
The advantage of the system is the unlimited possibility for upgrading and extension by adding additional offices and cameras without any other expenses and costs for the central monitoring. This ability of the system also allows for information exchange with other institutions, primarily with the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia. it is also planned to exchange video signals from the cameras, as well as data from the automated number plate recognition system.
The motives for implementation of such a sophisticated system are several. The expected advantages from using such a system are extraordinary, particularly in terms of reduction and prevention of corruption, monitoring the professional conduct of the customs officials, preventive acting in the fight against organized crime, prevention of smuggling and illegal importation of goods.
The Automatic Number Plate Recognition System, which is planned to be installed in the second phase of the implementation of this system, shall be installed at all Border Crossing Points and inland Customs Offices and it will enable monitoring of eg. the type of vehicle, the time of entrance, the place of entrance in /exit from the country, and for the freight motor vehicles the terminal where they stayed. All data from the Automatic Number Plate Recognition System shall be kept on a central server at the Customs Administration, accompanied by a photograph of the vehicle and archived for further needs of the CARM.
The introduction of this system yet again confirms the strategic goals the Government of the Republic of Macedonia and the firm commitment of Customs Administration of the Republic of Macedonia for uncompromising fight against smuggling and organized crime, as well as the European and NATO prospects of the country.