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LIMA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Peru will adopt a U.S.-develpoed air passenger control system to elevate security at its airports, Interior Minister Carlos Basombrio said on Friday.
The Advance Passenger Information System, or APIS, was developed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency to collect the passport data and other information of air travelers and flight crews prior to their arrival.
"Before, we had to wait for the plane to arrive and the passengers to present themselves at the immigration counter to undergo immigration control, then crosschecking and screening his identification information," said Basombrio.
"Now, with the APIS, we have hours to undertake this crosschecking" prior to a passenger's arrival, Basombrio told reporters at a press conference at the Lima-Callao International Airport serving the capital.
The information is to be passed on to Peru's National Police force (PNP), as well as Interpol, for screening.
Facial recognition capability is to be added to the APIS process in the near future, according to the minister.
