Progress began only after Coast Guard regulations were established. Now, says the Coast Guard's Lieutenant Michael Edgerton, the industry is on board. Today, security focuses on terrorism and narcotics. Passenger searches at terminals and ports of call are now much like those conducted in airports. These inspections now include the use of magnetometers, x-ray machines, and other tools.
Clerks also profile all passengers.
To stem the flow of drugs, cruise companies are devoting more resources to detection, spurred by a U.S. Customs Service program that mitigates fines to cruise lines found with drugs on board if a strong antidrug program is in place. Some lines, such as Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., now search all passengers and crew for drugs when they reboard their ship from a high-risk port of call such as Aruba, Curacao, and St. Martin. At other sites, profiling is conducted before a search is ordered. These efforts have revealed frequent attempts to board with drugs. But it is difficult to ascertain whether the tide is being turned on smugglers.