American Science and Engineering ("AS&E") today announced the United Kingdom (UK) debut of MINI Z, the world's first handheld Z Backscatter imaging scanner for fast, portable, real-time detection of hidden drugs, explosives, and other organic threats and contraband behind non-metallic surfaces. The MINI Z system enables law enforcement, public safety and other security professionals to determine "on the go" if drugs, explosives or other threats are present in unattended bags, packages, and difficult-to-reach locations such as car interiors and aircraft compartments.

Since its launch in June 2014, the MINI Z system has been named the "Best of What's New" by Popular Science magazine and received the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) Accolades Award for Security Innovation. Recent customer demonstrations of the MINI Z system for U.S. public safety agencies have led to actual drug seizures, including a large quantity of well-concealed marijuana valued at more than $150,000 USD.

"As AS&E continues to make inroads into the international public safety market, we are very pleased to work together with our new channel partner, Scanna, to introduce the MINI Z to security and police agencies in the UK," said Chuck Dougherty, AS&E's President and CEO. "The MINI Z, like our ZBV mobile inspection system, is a highly effective, easy-to-use, detection solution that is ideal for detecting security threats wherever and whenever they occur. Using the MINI Z, we are confident that customers in the UK - and elsewhere in the world - will achieve the same, immediate results that U.S. public safety agencies have experienced using the system."