Mail Isolation Control and Tracking ( MICT ) is an imaging system employed by the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) that takes photographs of the exterior of every piece of mail that is processed in the United States . The Postmaster General has stated that the system is primarily used for mail sorting , though it also enables the USPS to retroactively track mail correspondence at the request of law enforcement . It was created in the aftermath of the 2001 anthrax attacks that killed five people , including two postal workers . The automated mail tracking program was created so that the Postal Service could more easily track hazardous substances and keep people safe , according to U.S. Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe
2001 anthrax attacks
2001 anthrax attacks
Mail Isolation Control and Tracking