Cocaine Leaks and Ancient Greeks (Full Episode) | To Catch a Smuggler | National Geographic

Key Concepts:

• Narcotics smuggling
• Deep concealment
• Trade Intelligence Enforcement Response (TIER)
• Antiquities smuggling
• Mis-manifestation
• Cultural property
• Gantry scanning
• K9 unit
• Cocaine hydrochloride
• Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• Provenance
• Clandestine excavation
• Repatriation

Narcotics Interdiction in South Texas

• Initial Car Search: Agents are alerted to a silver Honda Accord potentially carrying narcotics. They locate the vehicle and follow it, but the suspect evades them.
• Convergence and Surveillance: Agents converge on a commercial shopping center where the suspect parks. They suspect the driver is waiting for instructions or a contact. An airship is called in for surveillance.
• Border Crossing Inspection: Officer Parker and Officer Baez at the Pharr, Texas border crossing discuss the challenges of identifying smugglers among daily crossers. They note the use of deep concealment methods, such as hiding drugs in fuel tanks, engines, and transfer cases.
• Gas Tank Inspection: Officer Baez inspects a truck driver's vehicle, noting a strong gas smell and a loose gas cap. He uses a scope to examine the gas tank for foreign objects, a common smuggling method.
• Tampering Detection: Officer Baez looks for signs of tampering, such as loosened screws or hidden compartments, and finds an extra cable for LED lighting. The vehicle is cleared after a search.

Trade Intelligence Enforcement Response (TIER) Team Operations at JFK Airport

• TIER Team Overview: Officer Liu explains that the TIER team handles illegal trades, including antiques and Intellectual Property Rights, operating 24/7.
• Targeted Cargo Inspection: Officer Acevedo describes how shipments are targeted based on shipper or recipient history. They x-ray a targeted parcel and find metallic discs.
• Discovery of Ancient Gold Coins: Upon opening the parcel, officers discover a collection of ancient Roman gold coins. Officer Acevedo notes the high gold content and rarity of such finds, potentially worth a lot of money.
• Detention and Investigation: The shipment is detained, and the coins are transported to the office for further investigation and potential seizure.

Border Patrol Inspections and Drug Testing

• Routine Inspections: Officer Rojas conducts routine inspections, asking travelers about plants, fruits, and meats.
• Vehicle Search and Suspicious Pills: Officer Ebertowski and Officer Garcia search a vehicle and find suspicious pills. They use a test kit to check for cocaine and methamphetamine, but the results are negative.
• Liquor Violation: The officers discover opened bottles of liquor, which are not allowed to be brought into the country. The travelers are required to pour them out.

Re-engaging the Narcotics Investigation

• Suspect Re-Appearance: Agent Connor spots another car interacting with the initial suspect's vehicle, suspecting they are connected.
• Apprehension and Scene Freeze: As agents move in, the suspects attempt to flee. One is apprehended immediately, while the other is caught after a foot chase. The scene is secured to prevent the loss of evidence.

TIER Team Investigation of Mis-manifested Artifact

• Package Inspection: Officer Liu and Officer Miller inspect a package labeled as "$10 vintage decoration" from Istanbul, suspecting it contains an artifact.
• Ancient Egyptian Artifact Discovery: The package contains what appears to be an ancient Egyptian artifact, possibly Anubis, the dog-headed god.
• Mis-manifestation and Valuation: The officers discuss how buyers and shippers mis-manifest items to avoid duties and fees. The artifact is sent to a subject matter expert for authentication and valuation.

Border Patrol Secondary Inspection and Drug Detection

• Secondary Inspection Referral: Officer Thomas refers a vehicle with a lot of baggage and food to secondary inspection.
• K9 Alert and Gantry Scan: A K9 unit alerts on the vehicle, leading to a gantry scan. Anomalies are detected in the transfer case and transmission areas.
• Transfer Case Inspection and Cocaine Discovery: Officer Vasquez inspects the transfer case and finds signs of tampering. Upon opening it, they discover packages of white powder, suspected to be fentanyl.
• Extraction and Identification: Officer Rodriguez extracts the packages, revealing six bundles of what is believed to be cocaine. The substance is later confirmed as cocaine hydrochloride using a laser analysis tool.
• Seizure and HSI Involvement: The cocaine is seized, and the subject is turned over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for further investigation.

TIER Team Investigation of Gladiator Helmet

• Crate Inspection: Officer Liu and Officer Miller inspect a crate manifested as an antique, targeted by a CBP employee specializing in antiquities.
• Discovery of Gladiator Helmet: The crate contains what appears to be a gladiator helmet from the Corinthian Greek era.
• Authentication and Valuation: The helmet is sent to a subject matter expert for authentication and valuation.

Resolution of Narcotics Case

• Storage Unit Search: Agents search a storage unit connected to one of the drivers, based on developed leads.
• Dog Hit and Cocaine Discovery: A K9 unit alerts on a unit, leading to the discovery of three kilos of cocaine.
• Consolidation and Weighing: The cocaine from the vehicle and the storage unit is consolidated and weighed, totaling 14.5 kilos.
• Impact and Disposition: The seizure prevents over 14,000 gram-level units of cocaine from reaching the streets. The drugs will be destroyed.

Resolution of Antiquities Cases

• Corinthian Helmet Investigation: The shipper of the Corinthian helmet claims it was excavated by his family in Italy in the 1960s. However, because the Italian Ministry of Culture was not notified, it is considered a clandestine excavation and illegal importation. The helmet, valued at $150,000, may be repatriated to Italy or the subject may be prosecuted.
• Canopic Box Panel Investigation: A wooden panel from a canopic box, approximately 2,300 years old, is examined. Due to rough repairs, the potentially priceless artifact is now worth $750. The case may be pursued by HSI or the piece may be repatriated to Egypt.
• Ancient Gold Coins Release: The ancient Roman Greek gold coins, valued at $30,000, are released after CBP determines they are not in violation of any export or import laws.

Conclusion:

The video showcases the diverse operations of CBP officers and agents in interdicting narcotics and illicit antiquities. It highlights the use of technology, K9 units, and expert knowledge to detect smuggling attempts. The successful seizures prevent drugs from reaching the streets and protect cultural heritage from being lost to the black market. The investigations often extend beyond the initial arrests, aiming to dismantle entire smuggling networks.