Large X-ray machines to screen truck containers and other large consignments entering the country's ports and airports are expected to be ordered next year by Customs and Excise.
The technology could play a key role in tracking illegal immigrants, such as those who died on board a container eventually opened in Wexford early in December.
It could also be used to search for drugs and cigarettes.
The purchase of the scanners is part of a reorganisation of Customs and Excise following a review completed in late 1999.
"It is currently being evaluated. Quite a bit of work has been done on it. There will be some developments in the course of the year," a Revenue Commissioners spokesperson said.
The UK customs introduced similar scanners in late 2000 after 58 illegal Chinese immigrants were found suffocated in a container after a Zeebrugge/Dover ferry crossing.
Two MobileSearch scanners, bought from the US-based American Science and Engineering for $5million, are used to scan vehicles and containers arriving in Dover.
The systems uses low radiation beams which are 200 times weaker than medical X-rays to offer a detailed image of everything which lies inside.
Similar technology is already in use at checkpoints funded by the EU to screen hundreds of trucks every day on the Polish/Belarus board.
The technology offers benefits to law-abiding traffic since it does away with the need to unload containers or drill into bulkheads in search of hidden cargo.
Under the review, the Customs and Excise's National Drugs Team has been merged with the unit which up until last year used to monitor traditional excise traffic.
The Government is also expected to sanction the purchase this year of inshore boats to boost the operation of the 160-strong unit, now called the Customs and Excise Enforcement Branch.
The branch now has a number of rigid inflatable craft. "This does not mean that we will be working any less with the Naval Service. We work very closely with them, as can be seen from the recent cigarette seizures that have taken place," said a Customs and Excise spokesperson.
A number of extra officers are currently being trained to work with "sniffer" dogs, which first began to be used by the Customs and Excise last year.
Recently, the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, said a confidential communications system, known as DrugsWatch, had been put in place between Customs and the operators of small airfields.
"Through this network, which is two-way, officers have discussed with the operators such matters as known methods used by drug smugglers and indicators of suspicious activity.
"This can help the operators in identifying situations and activities that may indicate a drug-smuggling operation is under way and which they should report. This reporting system is an important element in the fight against drug smuggling," he told Labour deputy leader Mr Brendan Howlin.
