To Catch a Smuggler: Drugs Across America | Season 5 MEGA EPISODE | National Geographic

CBP In Action: A Detailed Summary

Key Concepts:

• Contraband Interdiction: Preventing illegal goods (narcotics, currency, prohibited agricultural products, stolen artifacts, etc.) from entering or leaving the United States.
• Multi-Layered Enforcement: Utilizing various methods and technologies (K9 units, X-ray scanners, MX908 devices, etc.) to detect contraband at different points.
• Risk Assessment: Identifying high-risk individuals, shipments, or routes based on intelligence, trends, and behavioral cues.
• Controlled Delivery: Allowing a shipment of contraband to reach its intended destination under surveillance to apprehend the recipients and uncover the distribution network.
• Internal Smuggling: Individuals who ingest or conceal narcotics within their bodies to smuggle them across borders.
• Alien Smuggling: The illegal transportation of individuals across borders, often involving exploitation and dangerous conditions.
• Source Country: A country known for producing or being a transit point for illegal goods.
• Provenance: The history of ownership of an artifact, used to determine its authenticity and legal status.
• Gemini Device: A handheld device used to quickly identify various substances, including narcotics.
• MX908 Device: A device capable of detecting drugs, chemical warfare agents, and explosives at trace levels.

El Paso, Texas: Vehicle Interdiction

• Main Topic: Targeting vehicles attempting to smuggle narcotics across the border.
• Key Points:
  • Officers in El Paso target vehicles based on observation and experience.
  • Anomalies are identified using X-ray technology.
  • Hidden compartments are located and dismantled to extract narcotics.
  • A vehicle was found with cocaine hidden in a compartment accessed through a trap door after dropping the gas tank.
  • 4.52 kilograms of cocaine were seized.
• Process:
  1. Initial observation and questioning of drivers.
  2. Referral to secondary inspection area.
  3. X-ray scanning to identify anomalies.
  4. Physical search and dismantling of the vehicle.
  5. Extraction and testing of suspected narcotics using the Gemini device.
• Quote: "We got to make sure that when we call this car 'clear,' it's clear."
• Technical Term: "Void" - A hidden compartment within a vehicle used for smuggling.

Agricultural Inspection

• Main Topic: Preventing the introduction of harmful pests and diseases into the United States.
• Key Points:
  • Agriculture specialists inspect food products and other items for potential threats to U.S. agriculture.
  • K9 units (Beagle Brigade) are used to detect food, plants, meat, seeds, and insects.
  • Dogs are trained at the National Detector Dog Training Center for 8 weeks.
  • Lemongrass was found to contain insects and was seized.
• Example: A passenger was found to be carrying leaves that could carry disease and pests.
• Quote: "We are the eyes and ears of other agencies. Not just CBP, but also USDA, Fish and Wildlife services, the FDA." - Ortiz
• Technical Term: "Contraband" - Goods that are illegal to possess or transport.

Philadelphia International Airport: Passenger and Express Consignment Interdiction

• Main Topic: Detecting illicit goods and activities at an international airport.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers monitor passenger terminals and express consignment facilities (DHL, FedEx, UPS).
  • Express consignment handles 10,000-15,000 packages daily.
  • High-risk areas of focus: terrorism, narcotics, bulk currency.
  • A package from the UAE, manifested as food, was found to contain approximately 20,000 Alprazolam (Xanax) pills (Schedule IV narcotic) concealed within sticky dates.
  • The pills weighed 7.86 kilos.
  • The case was turned over to HSI for a controlled delivery.
• Process:
  1. Initial screening of passengers and packages.
  2. Targeting high-risk individuals or shipments.
  3. X-ray scanning to identify anomalies.
  4. Physical inspection and testing of suspected contraband.
  5. Collaboration with HSI for further investigation and controlled delivery.
• Quote: "Sometimes, they use something that could be really nasty or disgusting-looking in order to try to bypass, knowing that some people won't go the extra mile." - Keller
• Technical Term: "Schedule IV narcotic" - A drug with a lower potential for abuse than Schedule I, II, or III drugs.

Miami International Airport: K9 Unit

• Main Topic: Utilizing K9 units to detect prohibited agricultural products.
• Key Points:
  • K9 units are used to expedite the inspection process.
  • Dogs are trained to detect food, plants, meat, seeds, and insects.
  • Snoopee, a one-year-old Beagle, and his handler, Ortiz, are stationed in Miami.
  • Sugarcane and chicken were found in passenger luggage.
• Process:
  1. K9 unit sniffs passenger bags at the carousel.
  2. Dog alerts to bags containing prohibited items by sitting.
  3. Handler separates bags and confirms the alert.
  4. Prohibited items are seized.
• Quote: "It's all about your attitude and if you make it fun and exciting for the dog." - Ortiz

El Paso, Texas: Continued Vehicle Interdiction

• Main Topic: Continued efforts to interdict narcotics smuggling in vehicles.
• Key Points:
  • Officers rely on experience and intuition to identify suspicious individuals and vehicles.
  • A Ford Fusion was found with anomalies in the X-ray scan.
  • Cocaine was found hidden in the back bumper and sides of the vehicle.
  • Over 65 pounds of cocaine were seized, with a wholesale value of $500,000.
• Quote: "You just--boom--you just feel automatically. There's gonna be one that stands out. There's gonna be one that's gonna be different, and you're gonna see it in the eyes."

North Georgia: Controlled Delivery and Investigation

• Main Topic: Investigating and prosecuting individuals involved in distributing illicit prescription pills.
• Key Points:
  • A controlled delivery of Alprazolam (Xanax) pills (7.8 kilos) was conducted at a residence in North Georgia.
  • The recipient admitted to receiving and distributing pills from India.
  • The individual was receiving approximately two boxes each month from two individuals from India.
  • The individual was making $75 a day.
  • A search of the residence revealed marijuana, additional pills, and ledgers.
• Quote: "It's very common that these things are coming in foreign, unfortunately, more and more often."
• Data: Approximately 8 kilos per month for 7-8 months.

JFK International Airport: Food Interdiction

• Main Topic: Preventing the introduction of harmful agricultural products.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers at JFK screen passengers for prohibited food items.
  • Fresh fruits are generally prohibited.
  • Chicken-flavored noodles were seized because the chicken was not properly cooked.
  • Beef-flavored noodles were allowed.
• Example: A passenger from Bangladesh was found to be carrying chicken-flavored noodles, which were seized.

Philadelphia: International Collaboration and Controlled Delivery

• Main Topic: International collaboration to intercept and investigate drug trafficking.
• Key Points:
  • German Customs intercepted a parcel containing approximately 25,000 pills of MDMA destined for Philadelphia.
  • CBP officers in Philadelphia worked with German Customs to take possession of the drugs.
  • The pills were tested and confirmed to be MDMA.
  • A controlled delivery was planned to apprehend the recipients.
  • The MDMA had a street value of about half a million dollars.
• Quote: "Having partners such as the German government themselves is essentially we're projecting our borders outside of the United States." - Harry

Calexico, California: Vehicle and Passenger Interdiction

• Main Topic: Detecting narcotics and other contraband at a border crossing.
• Key Points:
  • Officers in Calexico target vehicles and passengers based on observation and experience.
  • A nervous driver was found to have methamphetamine hidden in the doors of his vehicle.
  • 36.24 kilos of methamphetamine were seized.
  • A K9 unit alerted to a vehicle, leading to the discovery of narcotics.
• Quote: "We all remember our first load." - Kish

Philadelphia: Controlled Delivery of MDMA

• Main Topic: Apprehending individuals involved in receiving and distributing MDMA.
• Key Points:
  • A controlled delivery of MDMA was conducted in South Philadelphia.
  • The suspect picked up the package and put it in the trunk of his car.
  • The suspect was apprehended after bringing the package into a residence.
• Quote: "This size shipment of ecstasy is actually pretty rare here. I've never seen one like this come through South Philly. It's a lot of money." - Nick

JFK International Airport: Artifact Interdiction

• Main Topic: Preventing the smuggling of stolen or illicitly obtained artifacts.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers at JFK inspect international freight for potential artifacts.
  • A shipment from Hong Kong was found to contain two statues: a Kali statue and another stone statue.
  • The Kali statue was determined to be a modern replica.
  • The stone statue was determined to be authentic and appraised at $70,000.
  • The consignee was suspected of selling both authentic and counterfeit artifacts.
• Quote: "If we don't catch these smuggled artifacts that are moving around, that country loses a piece of its cultural patrimony, its history." - Acevedo
• Technical Term: "Provenance" - The history of ownership of an artifact, used to determine its authenticity and legal status.

El Paso, Texas: Vehicle Interdiction (Continued)

• Main Topic: Continued efforts to interdict narcotics smuggling in vehicles.
• Key Points:
  • A female driver was found to have marijuana hidden in the hood and doors of her vehicle.
  • The driver was cooperating.
  • The cartel was tipped off and requested the driver to return to Mexico.
• Quote: "This could literally be the only opportunity that we have to interdict people that are attempting to smuggle." - Ciccone

Port of Philadelphia: Container Inspection

• Main Topic: Detecting narcotics concealed within shipping containers.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers at the Port of Philadelphia inspect shipping containers for contraband.
  • Two containers from the Dominican Republic, manifested as bananas, were targeted.
  • Anomalies were detected in the structure of one container.
  • 153 packages of cocaine were found concealed within the floor of the container.
• Quote: "When you get that hit and when you get that, that find, it is very exciting." - Klein

Fort Lauderdale, Florida: Passenger Interdiction

• Main Topic: Detecting narcotics and currency smuggling by passengers.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers in Fort Lauderdale target passengers based on trends and behavior.
  • A passenger from Jamaica was found to have $20,000 in cash, exceeding the declared amount.
  • The passenger was able to provide documentation to verify the source of the funds.
• Quote: "You have to go through the inspection, you have to talk to the person, you have to open the bags, you have to get dirty sometimes. And that's the only way you're gonna determine and find what you're actually looking for." - Rivera

El Paso, Texas: Vehicle Interdiction (Continued)

• Main Topic: Continued efforts to interdict narcotics smuggling in vehicles.
• Key Points:
  • A female driver was found to have marijuana hidden in the hood and doors of her vehicle.
  • The cartel was tipped off and requested the driver to return to Mexico.
  • The operation was called off, and the narcotics were extracted.
• Quote: "It's always a win-win for us every time we intercept a load at the port of entry, no matter what type of drug it is." - Reggie

JFK International Airport: Internal Smuggling

• Main Topic: Detecting and preventing internal smuggling of narcotics.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers at JFK targeted a passenger suspected of being an internal smuggler.
  • The passenger was traveling from Panama.
  • The passenger initially denied having drugs in his system but eventually admitted to swallowing pellets.
  • The passenger was taken to a hospital, where four pellets of cocaine were recovered.
• Quote: "We are here because of what we know about you." - Styles

San Ysidro, California: Vehicle Interdiction and K9 Unit

• Main Topic: Detecting narcotics and other contraband at a border crossing.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers at San Ysidro utilize a multi-layered enforcement strategy.
  • A K9 unit alerted to a vehicle, leading to the discovery of methamphetamine and cocaine hidden in the rear quarter panels, front seats, and rear bench seat.
  • A passenger was found to be carrying hydrocodone pills without a prescription.
• Quote: "It's very satisfying when you rip it apart and you see packages. It's almost like a Christmas present, you know?" - Ramirez

Puerto Rico: Maritime Interdiction

• Main Topic: Preventing drug smuggling via maritime routes.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers in Puerto Rico patrol the coastline to intercept drug smuggling vessels.
  • A vessel was intercepted after displaying suspicious behavior.
  • 1,712 kilograms of cocaine were found on board.
• Quote: "Every time the boat is loaded, and makes landfall, we have to quickly retrieve that contraband 'cause we got drug trafficking organizations in the shoreline trying to protect their load." - Nieves

Orange County, California: Buy-Bust Operations

• Main Topic: Targeting drug traffickers through undercover operations.
• Key Points:
  • HSI agents conducted buy-bust operations in Orange County, California.
  • Undercover agents arranged to purchase narcotics from traffickers.
  • Multiple arrests were made, and large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills were seized.
• Quote: "Seizing these narcotics in their bulk form, we're able to stop 'em from being distributed across the country in the United States. And it helps us save as many lives as possible." - Special Agent Mike

Atlanta, Georgia: Antique Weapon Seizure

• Main Topic: Processing and inspecting antique weapons being brought into the United States.
• Key Points:
  • A passenger from South Africa was bringing antique weapons to an Antique Arms Show.
  • The weapons were inspected and verified to be antique.
  • One of the weapons was a tomb gun, which was banned in 1805.
• Quote: "This was pretty cool." - Officer Plaku

El Paso Sector: Border Patrol Operations

• Main Topic: Preventing illegal crossings and combating alien smuggling.
• Key Points:
  • Border Patrol agents patrol the areas between ports of entry.
  • Agents apprehended four migrants who had crossed the border using a ladder.
  • Smugglers were yelling profanities at the agents.
• Quote: "They treat the migrants as a commodity. For the criminal organizations, the migrants are disposable. For us, we take priority on the safety of the migrants." - Agent Marrero-Rubio

Port of Savannah: Outbound Contraband

• Main Topic: Preventing the export of stolen vehicles.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers at the Port of Savannah target shipments leaving the country.
  • A container was found to contain four stolen vehicles, including a Ford Raptor and a BMW X7.
  • The vehicles had a combined value of $250,000.
• Quote: "Everyday we're doing something to stop the criminals from winning." - Officer King

Calexico, California: Brass Knuckles Seizure

• Main Topic: Preventing the import of prohibited weapons.
• Key Points:
  • A motorcycle rider was found to be carrying brass knuckles, which are prohibited in California.
  • The brass knuckles were seized, and the rider was allowed to proceed.
• Quote: "I'm starting to travel in the United States. I just gotta be more aware of the laws, I guess." - The motorcycle rider

San Diego, California: Highway Interdiction

• Main Topic: Targeting vehicles transporting narcotics on the highway.
• Key Points:
  • HSI agents followed a white sedan suspected of carrying narcotics.
  • The vehicle stopped to assist another vehicle that was experiencing mechanical problems.
  • The vehicle was later found at an apartment complex, where the occupants were beginning to unload the narcotics.
  • Three suspects were taken into custody, and a large quantity of methamphetamine was seized.
• Quote: "These drugs and these vehicle loads, these are not a San Diego issue. These are an entire United States issue." - Special Agent Connor

JFK International Airport: Trace Narcotics Detection

• Main Topic: Utilizing the MX908 device to detect trace amounts of narcotics on aircraft.
• Key Points:
  • HSI agents tested the MX908 device on a plane from Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
  • The device detected fentanyl in the cargo compartment.
  • No narcotics were found during a physical search of the compartment.
• Quote: "The MX908 device helps us keep passengers, and especially our partners at CBP, and ourselves safe." - Special Agent Martin

Calexico, California: Mixed Load Seizure

• Main Topic: Detecting a mixed load of narcotics hidden in a vehicle.
• Key Points:
  • A vehicle was found to have methamphetamine and heroin hidden in a modified floor compartment.
  • 44.7 kilograms of methamphetamine and 7.34 kilograms of heroin were seized.
• Quote: "Feels good. My main reason to join CBP was I wanted to serve my country, my community. This is a perfect way to do it." - Officer Garcia

San Diego, California: Highway Interdiction (Continued)

• Main Topic: Apprehending suspects and seizing narcotics from a vehicle.
• Key Points:
  • HSI agents apprehended three suspects who were unloading narcotics from a vehicle.
  • A privately manufactured firearm (ghost gun) was found in the vehicle.
  • A large quantity of methamphetamine was seized from the rocker panels and gas tank of the vehicle.
• Quote: "We get to dismantle more of the organization and the operation by taking down three more people. We get a gun off the street. And we do so safely." - Special Agent Connor

JFK International Airport: Internal Smuggling (Continued)

• Main Topic: Recovering narcotics from an internal smuggler.
• Key Points:
  • A passenger suspected of being an internal smuggler was taken to a hospital.
  • Four pellets of cocaine were recovered from the passenger.
• Quote: "His life is very important. And staying alive will allow him to see his family in the future." - Styles

San Ysidro, California: Pre-Primary Operations

• Main Topic: Detecting alien smugglers at the border crossing.
• Key Points:
  • CBP officers at San Ysidro conduct pre-primary operations to identify alien smugglers.
  • Five individuals were apprehended and suspected of being alien smugglers.
• Quote: "It is really important to intercept any types of operations of alien smuggling or human trafficking, that way we can build a case and take it to the next level and catch the bigger fish that's out there." - Officer Valentin

Conclusion:

The video showcases the diverse and challenging work of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers across various locations. From interdicting narcotics and stolen vehicles to preventing the entry of harmful agricultural products and smuggled artifacts, CBP plays a crucial role in safeguarding the United States. The use of advanced technology, K9 units, and collaboration with other agencies are essential to their success. The dedication and vigilance of CBP officers are vital in protecting the nation from a wide range of threats.