To Catch a Smuggler: Drugs, Guns, and Money | S1 MEGA EPISODE | National Geographic

Key Concepts

• CBP (Customs and Border Protection): The uniformed law enforcement agency responsible for securing U.S. borders and ports of entry.
• HSI (Homeland Security Investigations): The investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, focusing on transnational criminal organizations.
• Controlled Delivery: An operation where law enforcement allows a package containing contraband to proceed to its intended destination under surveillance, in order to apprehend the recipients.
• Internal Smuggler: A person who conceals narcotics inside their body (e.g., swallowing pellets or inserting them into body cavities).
• Food Courier: Individuals who transport commercial quantities of food across borders, sometimes used to conceal illicit items.
• Operation Blue Blend: A joint HSI-CBP operation at JFK airport targeting international drug trafficking organizations.
• Gemini: A device used to quickly identify substances, including narcotics.
• ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization): An automated system used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program.

Airport Interceptions and Investigations

Passenger Screening and Profiling

• CBP officers at airports use various techniques to identify potential smugglers, including:
  • Analyzing flight patterns and passenger manifests.
  • Observing passenger behavior for signs of nervousness or deception (e.g., fidgeting, head movements, inconsistencies in stories).
  • Conducting interviews to assess the purpose of travel and verify information.
  • Examining travel documents, including passports and visas.
• Example: Officers identify a passenger arriving from Colombia with a tattoo based on a passport photo.
• Example: Officers notice a passenger arriving from Jamaica is increasingly nervous and hesitant during questioning.
• Example: Officers notice a passenger arriving from Panama sounds "off" and decide to investigate further.
• Officers emphasize that anyone coming off an international flight is a potential suspect, regardless of age, race, or gender.
• The team trains constantly on techniques and behavior, and there are certain signs and signals that people give off that they're definitely looking for.

Baggage Examinations

• CBP officers conduct baggage examinations to search for concealed narcotics or other contraband.
• Techniques include:
  • Physical searches of luggage.
  • Probing suspicious items.
  • Using canine units to detect narcotics.
  • X-raying luggage.
• Example: Officers find ecstasy pills concealed inside factory-sealed fish food containers in international mail.
• Example: Officers find cocaine concealed within the frames of paintings in a package from Haiti.
• Example: Officers find liquid cocaine disguised in shampoo bottles in the luggage of an elderly woman arriving from Peru.
• Example: Officers find cocaine concealed within the side railing of a suitcase arriving from Montego Bay.
• Example: Officers find cocaine concealed within sausage arriving from Mexico.
• Example: Officers find heroin concealed within PVC pipes arriving from Mexico.
• Example: Officers find ketamine concealed within lotion and shampoo bottles arriving from Amsterdam.
• Officers note that smugglers use various concealment techniques, including:
  • Hiding narcotics in false compartments.
  • Disguising narcotics as legitimate products.
  • Using everyday items to mask the scent of narcotics.

Internal Smuggling

• CBP officers are trained to identify internal smugglers, who conceal narcotics inside their bodies.
• Techniques include:
  • Observing passengers for signs of discomfort or unusual behavior.
  • Conducting interviews to assess the likelihood of internal concealment.
  • Obtaining consent for medical examinations, including x-rays.
• Example: Officers suspect a passenger arriving from Colombia is an internal smuggler and take him to a hospital for an x-ray, which reveals narcotics in his body.
• Example: Officers suspect a passenger arriving from Panama is an internal smuggler and interview him extensively.

Interviews and Interrogations

• CBP officers conduct interviews and interrogations to gather information and assess the credibility of travelers.
• Techniques include:
  • Asking open-ended questions.
  • Looking for inconsistencies in stories.
  • Confronting travelers with evidence.
  • Using interrogation techniques to elicit confessions.
• Example: Officers interview a passenger arriving from Jamaica, who initially claims to be visiting his mother but later admits to being involved in drug smuggling.
• Example: Officers interview a passenger arriving from Panama, who initially claims to be visiting friends but later admits to being paid to transport merchandise.
• Officers emphasize the importance of building rapport with travelers while remaining vigilant for signs of deception.

Controlled Deliveries and Arrests

• When narcotics are intercepted, law enforcement may conduct a controlled delivery to apprehend the intended recipients.
• This involves allowing the package to proceed to its destination under surveillance.
• Once the package is accepted, law enforcement executes a search warrant and arrests the suspects.
• Example: HSI agents conduct a controlled delivery of a package containing MDMA to a location in Lower Manhattan, resulting in the arrest of two individuals.
• Example: HSI agents conduct a controlled delivery of a package containing cocaine to a church compound in Florida, resulting in the arrest of two individuals.
• Example: HSI agents conduct a controlled delivery of a package containing cocaine to a residence in New York, resulting in the arrest of three individuals.
• Example: HSI agents conduct a controlled delivery of a package containing GBL to a residence in Florida, resulting in the arrest of one individual.

International Mail Facility

Canine Detection

• At the International Mail Facility, canine units are used to detect narcotics in packages.
• Dogs are trained to identify the scent of various narcotics, including fentanyl.
• Example: A canine unit alerts to a box containing ecstasy pills concealed inside fish food containers.

Package Examination

• CBP officers examine packages for suspicious items or anomalies.
• Techniques include:
  • Physical searches of packages.
  • X-raying packages.
  • Using chemical tests to identify narcotics.
• Example: Officers find cocaine concealed within the frames of paintings in a package from Haiti.
• Example: Officers find weapon parts in a shipment outbound to Argentina.

Operation Patagonia Express

International Collaboration

• Operation Patagonia Express is a joint effort between U.S. and Argentinian law enforcement to disrupt a weapons smuggling network.
• HSI agents work with Argentinian authorities to execute search warrants and make arrests.
• The operation results in the seizure of over 5,000 weapons and firearms components, as well as 167 explosives.

Weapon Seizures

• Argentinian authorities seize a large cache of weapons, including high-powered rifles and explosives.
• The weapons are believed to be intended for use by criminal organizations.

Opioid Crisis

• The video highlights the ongoing opioid crisis in the United States.
• Officers note that they are seeing an increase in the smuggling of fentanyl and other opioids.
• The video also shows the withdrawal symptoms experienced by a man caught smuggling cocaine, who admits to being addicted to oxycodone.

Key Personnel and Their Roles

• Rimola: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Matlin: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Needham: CBP Officer, works at the international mail facility.
• Khzam: CBP Officer, canine handler.
• Grob: CBP Officer, involved in package examination.
• Walter: HSI Agent, involved in coordinating investigations and controlled deliveries.
• Tom: HSI Agent, involved in controlled deliveries.
• Humes: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Albritton: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Rodriguez: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Hernandez: CBP Officer, works at the international mail facility.
• Kearse: CBP Officer, works at the international mail facility.
• Serrano: CBP Officer, works at the international mail facility.
• Miguel: HSI Agent, involved in controlled deliveries.
• Finn: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Leon: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Patrick: HSI Agent, involved in controlled deliveries and investigations.
• Steve: HSI Agent, involved in controlled deliveries.
• Ed: HSI Agent, involved in investigations.
• Tai: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Thomas: HSI Agent, involved in investigations.
• Fontana: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Moy: CBP Officer, works at the international mail facility.
• Barbosa: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Lara: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Montalvo: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Covington: CBP Officer, agriculture specialist.
• Shafique: CBP Officer, agriculture specialist.
• Rim: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Matthew: CBP Officer, involved in testing substances.
• Vincentz: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Mauro: CBP Officer, involved in narcotics transfer.
• Rossini: CBP Officer, involved in narcotics destruction.
• Rhoads: CBP Officer, canine handler.
• Jonathan: CBP Officer, involved in Operation Blue Blend.
• Martinez: CBP Officer, involved in Operation Blue Blend.
• Brito: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Illiano: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.
• Brodie: HSI Agent, involved in Operation Patagonia Express.
• Elvis: HSI Agent, involved in Operation Patagonia Express.
• Giovanni: HSI Agent, involved in Operation Patagonia Express.
• Salisbury: HSI Agent, involved in Operation Patagonia Express.
• Brian: HSI Agent, involved in prosecutions.
• Marco: HSI Agent, involved in controlled deliveries.
• Watson: CBP Officer, involved in passenger screening and profiling.

Synthesis/Conclusion

The video provides a detailed look into the daily operations of CBP and HSI at JFK airport and other locations, showcasing their efforts to combat drug smuggling and other illegal activities. It highlights the various techniques used to identify and apprehend smugglers, including passenger profiling, baggage examinations, canine detection, interviews, and controlled deliveries. The video also emphasizes the importance of collaboration between different law enforcement agencies, both domestically and internationally, in order to effectively disrupt transnational criminal organizations. The agents underscore that their work is critical to saving lives and protecting communities from the harmful effects of narcotics and other contraband.