PRESS RELEASE
BOSTON — RaySecur, the leading provider of T-ray security imaging technology, announces the findings of its annual report on the state of mail security.
The report is constructed from open-source mail threat data compiled by the U.S. government, international findings from the 2023 Global Terrorism Index, and the RaySecur Threat Data Center (TDC). The annual report found that letters and small parcels, not large packages, make up the vast majority of the threats, which have become increasingly dangerous and toxic. Mail-based threats are difficult to track as 9 out of 10 mail security incidents were items that were small enough to fit in an anonymous curbside drop box. Mail has become a preferred method of perpetrating these crimes, as less than 2% of mail-based threats lead to an arrest. The annual state of mail security report focuses on the two main categories of dangerous mail: (1) Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) threats targeting corporations, private residences, and government buildings, and (2) contraband smuggling into correctional facilities.
CBRNE Threats:
- 94% of physical mail-based injuries came from letters.
- White powder threats are becoming increasingly common with 59% of threats containing powders, of which 26% were determined to be drugs including fentanyl.
- Local, state, and federal government facilities receive the most mail-based threats (32%), while residences are the second most frequently targeted (28%), followed by businesses (12%).
“No industry is immune from mail-based threats,” says Alex Sappok, PhD, CEO of RaySecur. “Detecting extremely small qualities of highly toxic substances like fentanyl is a critical and evolving challenge facing security professionals. Previously white powder threats were mostly benign hoaxes. Over the past year, we’ve seen fentanyl and other harmful powders used in threats targeting government agencies and the private sector.”
Contraband Smuggling:
RaySecur’s annual report also examined the state of physical mail threats coming into correctional facilities. Key highlights include:
- 55% of contraband is drug-treated paper, which may not be visible to the human eye, making controlling drug use within these facilities a significant challenge.
- There has been a 600% rise in drug overdoses in prisons compared to previously available data.
- 65% of the U.S. prison population has an active substance use disorder, while another 20% were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of their crime.
Legal mail has become a primary avenue for smuggling drug-laced papers, as it is constitutionally protected and can not be digitized. Aside from mail, drug-laced papers enter facilities not only through the mailroom but also through visitors, including attorneys, and papers passed in court, posing a significant risk to both correctional staff and those in their care. There is also an emerging trend of these fraudulent legal papers being treated with household chemicals such as bug spray and formaldehyde, which are not detected by conventional drug testing methods.
RaySecur’s CBRNE annual mail security report can be found by visiting: https://www.raysecur.com/state-of-mail-security-2023-2024-raysecur-annual-report/
RaySecur’s corrections contraband annual mail security report can be found by visiting: https://corrections.raysecur.com/2023-corrections-mail-smuggling-report/
About RaySecur:
RaySecur, Inc., the leader in real-time 3D, T-ray security imaging, is revolutionizing concealed threat detection with MailSecur. Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and heads of state trust RaySecur to keep them safe from hidden threats. MailSecur is the first desktop T-ray screening system designated by the DHS under the Safety Act. RaySecur and MailSecur are RaySecur, Inc. trademarks. For more information, visit www.RaySecur.com.