The guy didn't change the sponge/swab from car to car so how could that test for anything? It pretty much seemed as if he was wiping everyone elses dirt over my steering wheel and acheving nothing - any ideas? What were they testing for?
At the Euro-tunnel customs they swabbed my steering wheel and door handles with sponge on a stick.?
They are testing for possible explosives residue. Using the swab, they should be able to get results right there on the spot. If the other vehicles are negative for explosives they continue to use the same sample swab. The device that they are using is called is similar to the ION Scan. The device is capable of seeking traces of 40 types of explosive and other hazardous material residue. It can also be programmed to test for 60 different types of drugs.
At the Euro-tunnel customs they swabbed my steering wheel and door handles with sponge on a stick.?
Those are the same patches they use at the airport to check for bomb making material...
It checks for certain checmical trace from explosives!
They can be used until they react...
Traces of either drugs, residue from a gun or any disease they may then send this to a la then if any is found they will stop the train in france and not allow anyway to pass customs then do a more individual check
they are pretending to swab for drugs and watching for your reaction, it saves money on the proper swabbing equipment.
I'd agree with the bomb making reasons but i'm sure they could extract your DNA from the steering wheel should they wish to do so.....what human rights?
Whatever they were testing for, you should have been told. What right did they have to enter your vehicle without some form of explanation?
They use the same thing at Canary Wharf - you can see them running the swab through some sort of tester (?gas chromatograph?) in their hut.
Lots of A's are on the right track.
It is called a 'field presumptive test'. There are different versions but the principle is as follows.
A surface is swabbed and then either has a built in reactor or the swab itself is sprayed with a chemical which might react with a colour change indicator.
The colour change indicates the possible presence of various illegal or prohibited substances, such as explosives, firearms residue, drugs.
The use of the word 'presumptive' is important. The various manf.s claim a very high degree of accuracy for these test kits but the true and final test is a proper forensic laboratory one.
A positive reaction would provide the justification for a more detailed search of people, their possesions and their vehicle.The positive reaction evidence of a presumptive test can be used to-gether with an admission from the suspect in criminal proceedings, otherwise the full forensic laboratory test has to be made.
Drugs, ballistic residue.
[steve b] %26gt; What right did they have to enter your vehicle without some form of explanation?
What planet are you from? If anyone doesn't want their vehicle swabbed, they can just turn round and not try to leave the country... it's a free country!
But if they want to pass through the port, line up! Geez...
%26quot;on thin ice%26quot; has it spot on, and as mentioned by others, the swab is negative until it gives a postive result, so can be re-used accordingly.
