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00:00Every year, over 200,000 tons of drugs are seized at the U.S.-Mexico border.
00:14The sheer number of travelers we get, we have to always be vigilant.
00:20Cartels rely on a network of couriers to smuggle in their narcotics.
00:30Today, at the Eagle Pass International Bridge...
00:34Bravo 18, Bravo 18, Tango Hotel, Lane 3.
00:39Officers have received a tip-off that a driver returning from Mexico may be smuggling cartel drugs in her vehicle.
00:47This vehicle was referred for an enforcement inspection.
00:50She was nervous. She was avoiding eye contact.
00:56The car is sent to the Z portal for x-ray.
01:00I notice anomalies on the floor and under the seat on the passenger side.
01:08And also, I can see some dense areas under the driver.
01:13Usually, it should be able to see through.
01:16Let's put out the floor on both sides.
01:19Officer Guzman suspects the dark shadows could be hidden contraband.
01:24Right now, this subject is going to be detained.
01:27I'm just going to be placed in a cell.
01:28We're going to tear the vehicle apart to find out what it is.
01:33If drugs are found, she could be facing a long stretch behind bars.
01:38Let's go.
01:47We found something.
01:49Mike, Mike.
01:50What?
01:51We found it.
01:51Are we going to be placed in jail?
01:53We have to do what we have to do.
01:54We have to do what we have to do.
01:55We have to do what we have to do.
02:16The Gateway International Bridge separates Brownsville, Texas, from the city of Matamoros, Mexico.
02:28Where'd you go to Mexico for?
02:30I went to Bayou.
02:31Each day, thousands of day trippers cross back and forth.
02:35Hello. How are you, sir?
02:37Very good.
02:37And everyone coming into the U.S. is checked against the National Crime Database.
02:42You're from this in Mexico?
02:44Is that on Medicare and Medicare?
02:45Yes.
02:47Next.
02:49Today, a young man returning to the U.S. after going to Mexico for a haircut has been detained.
02:56There's a subject who has a warrant for his arrest.
03:03He was patted down by the officers.
03:09With the pat-down clear, he's held in an interview room.
03:12And you said you were getting a haircut in Mexico?
03:20Yes, ma'am.
03:20You stated you'd never been arrested?
03:23Never been arrested in my life.
03:25Never, never.
03:25Never gotten in trouble with the police?
03:28I've gotten tickets, but never been arrested.
03:30Okay.
03:30When's the last time you got a ticket that you know of?
03:32No problem.
03:34Approximately the time?
03:36I think I need more than a year.
03:38More than a year?
03:38More than a year?
03:39Okay.
03:39So, yeah.
03:39Do you know who it was, what county, what police officer that you know of?
03:45No?
03:45Okay.
03:47Okay.
03:47The man claims to know nothing about the warrant.
03:56Usually when they come in and we know they have a warrant, we usually ask them,
04:01hey, have you ever been arrested?
04:03Have you ever had trouble with police lately?
04:06Some of them say yes, others say no, or they forget.
04:11Public record information on the warrant comes through to Officer Anaya.
04:14He is wanted for evading arrest.
04:19Evading arrest is a serious crime, which can result in significant prison time.
04:24Usually that's either they're trying to arrest you and not complying or just try to run away
04:29or try to hit them.
04:30Yeah, I think he's right here, sir, please.
04:31Okay.
04:33In order to determine that his details match those on the warrant,
04:38his fingerprints are taken.
04:40If he is the wanted man, he will be taken to jail.
04:55Nothing's actually showing on the prints.
04:57Nothing came up.
04:59With the man's fingerprints not showing up in the system,
05:03officers need to find another way to confirm if he really is the wanted man.
05:08In Eagle Pass, officers have stopped a driver returning to the U.S. from Mexico
05:22after a tip-off revealed she may be a cartel drug courier.
05:26Let's throw out the floor from both sides.
05:36Officers begin their search.
05:38Let's take off the center console.
05:44The trap door should be in the center console, bro.
05:48There you go.
05:50It's all loose, right?
05:50When drugs are concealed in hard-to-reach places,
05:55cartels have typically constructed a trap door for access.
05:59There's no only trap door, are you?
06:01No?
06:02Bueno, let's go ahead and take off the seats.
06:06But so far, no such door can be found.
06:10Officers begin the painstaking process of removing the seats
06:14to continue their hunt.
06:15There's a door here.
06:21Do you think so?
06:28You have to find a compartment.
06:39There it is.
06:40They put a lot of work into trying to hide it.
06:44It takes a lot of ingenuity to put them in like that,
06:47especially in the floor.
06:49With loads this big, cartels often hide a tracker
06:53to keep tabs on their couriers and product.
07:00I've got to start with on the checker.
07:02It's right there.
07:04What it is.
07:05Before officers continue their search,
07:07they need to make sure no one else is listening in.
07:13This is the tracker.
07:15You're usually put under the steering wheel on this area.
07:20It's the communication between the driver
07:22and whoever is sitting in the vehicle,
07:24and also there might be mics inside,
07:27so that cuts off if they're hearing us,
07:29whatever we're talking.
07:34Officer Caronco has broken the signal.
07:37The team can now resume the inspection,
07:41knowing the cartel isn't monitoring their conversations.
07:47There you go.
07:50And it's not long before another trapdoor is found.
07:59Woo!
08:00It is.
08:01It's still going to be the whole thing.
08:03The whole thing?
08:03Open the door?
08:05Yeah, it's going to be a lot.
08:07It looks like it's going to be the entire floor
08:09from both sides.
08:10Both sides.
08:12For the officers,
08:13this could be a major seizure.
08:15At the Gateway International Bridge,
08:30a young man returning from getting a haircut in Mexico
08:33has been detained.
08:34You stated you've never been arrested.
08:37Despite his denials,
08:38he's wanted for evading arrest.
08:42Nothing's actually showing on the prints.
08:44Nothing came up.
08:45Nothing.
08:46But right now,
08:48his fingerprints don't match anyone on file.
08:50The subject is still wanted.
08:52It doesn't mean the warrant is not there.
08:54Sometimes they don't get fingerprinted.
08:57To confirm whether or not he is the wanted man.
09:00Nothing's showing up in his prints.
09:01We can't verify on the prints?
09:03Call a secretary?
09:04Over there.
09:04The biggest thing is a mugshot.
09:06Yeah, let me verify his social.
09:08Okay.
09:09Officer Anaya needs to dig deeper into his background.
09:14You can zoom in there.
09:16As well as confirming his social security details,
09:19he reveals he's a semi-professional boxer
09:21with an upcoming fight.
09:23He said he has a fight pro boxing.
09:27That's his fight.
09:28And this is him right here.
09:31He may be known in the ring,
09:35but Officer Anaya still needs to confirm his ID.
09:40I'm going to call Sector,
09:41see if they have a photo of the subject,
09:43just to verify if it's a match.
09:50Yes, I was calling because we have a wanted person here.
09:55I already fingerprinted him, but nothing came up.
10:00Local law enforcement in Brownsville
10:02runs his details through their system.
10:06Thank you so much.
10:08It was a match for the name and the date of birth.
10:12So it was a match.
10:15The man will be picked up by local police.
10:18So, uh, when are you fighting?
10:21Saturday.
10:22Saturday.
10:23Okay.
10:24Despite facing criminal charges,
10:27the man is more worried
10:28that he may miss his fight in two days.
10:33I know as a boxer,
10:34you do have to train every day.
10:36So you will have to be training
10:37for that fight on Saturday.
10:40It's looking unlikely
10:41he'll be on the ticket.
10:43He's being taken to the Brownsville Precinct,
10:56where he'll finally learn more
10:58about his alleged crime.
11:00You are going to go to the county
11:01that's looking for you,
11:03that you're wanted from.
11:06I wouldn't know when he would be seeing the judge,
11:09maybe a couple of days.
11:11I don't know if he's going to be able
11:12to get out for that fight on Saturday.
11:14The man may have been unaware
11:16of his warrant,
11:17but since he is the wanted man,
11:19he will now have to face his charge.
11:21If you ever got into trouble,
11:23ever been arrested,
11:24ever had any warrants,
11:26and you're planning to cross to the U.S.,
11:28don't be surprised
11:30if you get stopped by us.
11:39Right here, he has life.
11:42In Eagle Pass,
11:44whoo, it is.
11:46Officers have found
11:47suspected narcotics
11:48hidden in the floor of a vehicle.
11:51Looks like it's going to be
11:53the entire floor
11:53from both sides.
11:55Both sides.
11:58The lone driver is detained
12:00while officers strip down the car
12:02to gain access to the drugs.
12:05Hold on.
12:06All right, I guess now we can
12:13drive this one prior up.
12:17And even more packages are found.
12:20It never gets old.
12:21It's just as exciting
12:23as the first one.
12:25You love what you do.
12:26Almost every inch
12:32of the car's floor
12:33has been used
12:34to conceal narcotics.
12:37Could be close.
12:38We're not sure.
12:40But it's unclear what type.
12:42We've got to get everything out
12:43to the seizure room
12:45so we can test it
12:46to see what we're dealing with.
12:48And we'll take it from there.
12:50We counted 74 packages in total.
13:14At this point,
13:15since we don't know what it is,
13:17we're going to have to test it
13:18and just verify
13:19what kind of drug they are.
13:27The load is taken
13:28to the seizure room
13:29for testing.
13:31Delivery.
13:34All right, moment of truth.
13:41We put in our oil
13:43to disguise
13:46the order of drugs
13:47to the canines.
13:50The laser detector
13:52can penetrate
13:53the layers of packaging
13:54and identify
13:55the type of drug.
14:00Methamphetamine.
14:02It came positive
14:03for methamphetamine
14:04first packet.
14:07Methamphetamine
14:08is a highly addictive drug
14:10that caused
14:11an estimated 30,000 deaths
14:13in the U.S.
14:13in 2024.
14:14But it's one of the most
14:17profitable for cartels
14:19because it can be manufactured
14:21cheaply
14:22from easily sourced
14:23chemical ingredients.
14:24If I had to take
14:26a wild guess
14:27on why the narcotics
14:28come from Mexico,
14:30I would say price.
14:32I guess they can get
14:33the chemicals
14:34easier in Mexico.
14:35Right.
14:39It takes three officers
14:41two hours
14:42to examine
14:43all the drugs.
14:45Each packet
14:46is full of crystals.
14:50And every one
14:51tests positive
14:52for methamphetamine.
14:54We're going to take
14:54all of the packages
14:56and the boxes
14:56to bridge to
14:58so we can have them
15:00wait.
15:01The drugs
15:02are taken
15:02to the nearby
15:03Camino Real bridge
15:04to be weighed
15:05on a commercial scale.
15:11Every time
15:12we have to use
15:13this scale
15:13it means we did good.
15:20162 pounds
15:21and if we translate
15:22that into kilograms
15:23it's 73.48 keys
15:25of crystal meth.
15:27Today's bust
15:28has taken drugs
15:29with a street value
15:30of $3.3 million
15:32out of the hands
15:33of dealers.
15:34We do this job
15:35because we care
15:36we save lives
15:37whenever we catch drugs
15:39and whenever we take
15:41it off the streets
15:42it gives us
15:42a sense of accomplishment.
16:03every year CBP officers
16:13apprehend 2.5 million people
16:15attempting to cross
16:17illegally from Mexico
16:18to the U.S.
16:20A lot of drug trafficking
16:22weapon smuggling
16:23narcotics
16:24human smuggling
16:25many are youngsters
16:27whose parents
16:28are already
16:29in America
16:30illegally.
16:31They pay people
16:32smugglers
16:32to escort their children
16:34safely across the border
16:35often pretending
16:37to be a close relative.
16:39It happens a lot
16:40it happens more often
16:41than you would think.
16:44Today
16:45at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge
16:47three children
16:48heading to Texas
16:49with their grandmother
16:50have been stopped
16:51after their story
16:52raised concerns.
16:54The three girls
16:55have American birth certificates
16:57but no picture IDs.
16:59They're traveling
16:59with their supposed grandmother.
17:01So I'm going to interview
17:02all four of them
17:02and we'll see
17:04what their story is
17:05how they know each other
17:05that they're not trying
17:07to come in under
17:07a different name
17:08and trying to come
17:09into the country illegally.
17:11Officer Covarrubias
17:12is concerned
17:14the girls aren't really
17:15the woman's grandchildren
17:16and the birth certificates
17:18aren't theirs.
17:20Anybody can claim
17:21that I'm this person
17:22this is my birth certificate
17:23let me in
17:24but at the end of the day
17:25they have to be able
17:27to prove that that's
17:27really who they are.
17:57The grandmother has a visa
18:16to visit the U.S.
18:17and says she's taking
18:19the girls to a city
18:20in Texas
18:20to see their father.
18:22He used to live in Mexico
18:23but moved back
18:25to the U.S.
18:27and then
18:29a month.
18:31Okay, 15 days
18:32and a month.
18:33So,
18:33how?
18:35Do you not know
18:36how long they're going
18:37to stay here?
18:38No, I do.
18:39One says 15 days
18:40and the other says a month.
18:41How?
18:42We're going to be
18:43like 15 days
18:44and then we're going
18:45to migrate to their father
18:47and we'll be back.
18:50Well, I'm going to bring
18:51to the inside, okay?
18:52I'm going to interview
18:54all of them.
18:54A little bit.
18:55How?
18:55How much?
18:57How much?
18:58How much?
18:58How much?
18:58How much?
18:58My pocket.
19:00Okay,
19:00señora,
19:01mira,
19:01these are the documents
19:02that you presented me.
19:03Do they have pictures?
19:06No?
19:07Well,
19:07I don't know
19:07if these are
19:08what's in the documents.
19:11Do they have ID?
19:12No.
19:13I have to do
19:14my job
19:14to ensure
19:15that these are them.
19:16Okay?
19:17If you have a problem
19:17with that,
19:18I'll be able to return
19:19to Mexico
19:19and there's a call.
19:22So,
19:22what are you going to do?
19:22The Windsor-Detroit crossing
19:44is the busiest
19:46international border
19:47in North America.
19:48Good morning, sir.
19:49How are you?
19:50Do you have any fruits
19:50and vegetables
19:51with you today?
19:5316 million vehicles
19:55pass through every year.
19:57Nothing for the perfect.
19:59CBP officers
20:00are always on alert
20:02for anything suspicious
20:03being smuggled in.
20:04Any fresh fruits,
20:05vegetables?
20:07That includes
20:08natural items.
20:10Well, no fruits
20:11or vegetables
20:11since I got chips
20:12and stuff.
20:13But some
20:15are prohibited
20:15because they carry
20:17a serious risk
20:18to American agriculture
20:19and wildlife.
20:21Finding any insects
20:23that can be harmful
20:24to United States
20:24agriculture
20:25is as important
20:27as finding drugs
20:28and any shipment
20:28coming in.
20:30Today,
20:31at the Ambassador Bridge,
20:33a car returning
20:34to the U.S.
20:35from Canada
20:35has been sent
20:38for inspection.
20:40The driver,
20:41who's traveling
20:42with his family,
20:44declared that he
20:44has no fresh produce.
20:46But since their car
20:47is loaded with groceries,
20:49Officer Castillo
20:50wants to take
20:51a closer look.
20:52We try to see
20:53if they bring in
20:53anything prohibited.
20:55Yeah, they just said
20:56no fruits, vegetables,
20:57just rice.
21:01All the bags
21:02need to be checked.
21:04If any prohibited items
21:06are found,
21:07the family could be in line
21:08for a hefty fine.
21:10All this stuff
21:10that we don't really
21:11look at.
21:15They declared rice,
21:16so I found the rice.
21:18This looks like
21:18it's balsamati rice.
21:21The rice
21:21is classified
21:22as a dry good,
21:24so it's allowed
21:24to be brought in.
21:26But fresh fruits
21:27are restricted
21:28to only certain ones
21:29grown in Canada.
21:31And, yeah,
21:32I'm seeing that they do
21:33have some mangoes.
21:37These don't have
21:38a country of origin,
21:39but either way,
21:40mangoes from anywhere,
21:41they're prohibited.
21:42So some fruits and vegetables
21:44do carry diseases.
21:46Mangoes are sort of like
21:47avocados because of the pit
21:49inside.
21:50You can replant the pit
21:51and then you can grow more.
21:53We don't want it in
21:55because we can't control it.
21:57Mangoes can harbor fruit flies,
21:59which pose a significant threat
22:01to U.S. farmers
22:02because they can destroy
22:04entire crops.
22:07Oranges, we regulate them.
22:09They don't have a country
22:10of origin,
22:10so we're going to be
22:11taking them again.
22:15Pears,
22:16these say Argentina.
22:19They didn't declare
22:20any of this stuff either.
22:21The man's claim
22:22to not be carrying
22:23any fresh produce
22:24is already unraveling.
22:26For transporting
22:27potentially hazardous goods,
22:29the driver could be facing
22:31a serious fine.
22:41At the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge,
22:44a woman traveling
22:45with three girls
22:45she claims are her
22:46granddaughters
22:47is being questioned.
22:48If you have a problem
22:49with that,
22:50I can go to Mexico.
22:51And there it is.
22:53So what are you going to do?
22:56No, well, yeah.
22:57Well, andale, let's go.
22:59The woman has presented
23:01U.S. birth certificates
23:02for all three girls.
23:04But with no photo ID
23:05to prove who they actually are,
23:08Officer Covarrubias
23:09needs to be sure
23:10she's not trafficking them.
23:13And who are these young women?
23:14Who are they traveling with?
23:15Why are they together?
23:17How do they know each other?
23:19We have all these past cases
23:21where somebody gets greedy
23:23and they want to smuggle people in
23:24and say, hey, this is my daughter,
23:26when it's not their daughter.
23:27And this is her birth certificate,
23:29but it's not them.
23:32Traffickers can be paid
23:33thousands of dollars
23:34to get a single child
23:35across the border
23:36to be reunited with family.
23:39Officer Covarrubias
23:40needs to make sure
23:42these girls are
23:43who they say they are.
23:44To prove they are all related,
23:53he needs to see photographs
23:54of all of the family together.
23:57But neither the sisters
23:58nor their grandmother
23:59have any on their person
24:01or on their phones.
24:03Look, I really have to see
24:07a photo where you are together.
24:10It's not like it's three years,
24:12four years past.
24:14I have to know
24:15that you know,
24:17that they are sisters.
24:18Yes?
24:19Well, go ahead.
24:23¿Fotos with you and your grandmother?
24:25No.
24:25No?
24:27¿No te gusta tomar fotos?
24:29Ah, sÃ, no.
24:30¿Por qué no?
24:31¿Cuánto mira sus niñas a usted?
24:35Diario.
24:36¿Diario?
24:37SÃ.
24:37¿Todos los dÃas?
24:38SÃ.
24:39¿Ok?
24:40¿Y nunca has felizado
24:44los navidades con ellos?
24:46¿Tomaste fotos con la familia?
24:48SÃ, sÃ, también.
24:49¿Por qué?
24:52¿No te gusta?
24:54No.
24:55Ok.
24:55With the girls
24:56and their alleged grandmother
24:57unable to prove
24:59that they are related,
24:59Officer Kovarubias
25:02decides to call
25:03the girls' mother
25:04to help establish the facts.
25:05At the Canadian border,
25:07a family has been caught
25:34bringing in undeclared fresh fruit into the U.S.
25:38They're prohibited.
25:40Since crossing the border with undeclared agriculture
25:43can have a devastating impact on U.S. crops...
25:46They didn't declare any of this stuff.
25:48The family could be in line for a penalty.
25:51You had some, like, fresh fruits and vegetables
25:53in your vehicle, had some mangoes, some oranges.
25:56You had quite a few of them.
26:00We technically asked both of you
26:02if you had any fresh fruits and vegetables,
26:04and because you said you didn't have any
26:06and we found some...
26:08But you do have fruit.
26:10The fruits that you do have,
26:12some of them are prohibited,
26:13and you failed to declare it.
26:15We're going to have to give you a penalty of $300.
26:17How much?
26:18$300.
26:20Well, she didn't know what I and I have...
26:23don't know if she put it inside.
26:26We did ask both of you guys, and you both said no.
26:29Fresh fruits.
26:31Well, you did have fruit.
26:33So, we're going to be actually done arguing.
26:36You did cross an international border, okay?
26:39Everything in that card belongs to you.
26:41You're supposed to know what's inside.
26:42The officers did ask if you had it.
26:45Both of you, not once, but twice, said no, okay?
26:49Now, we found the stuff,
26:50so now a civil penalty is going to be issued.
26:53Do you have enough to cover the $300 today?
27:00Okay, yeah, I'm going to pay.
27:01Just, yeah, I'm going to do some paperwork.
27:03I'll come back for you.
27:08We did specifically ask them what they had.
27:11The couple is issued a $300 penalty.
27:16Although this family has never been caught
27:18with undeclared produce before,
27:21next time they're unlikely to make this mistake.
27:24You're coming from one country to the other.
27:27I always think you would know what you pack.
27:33The driver pays the fine,
27:35and the family will be allowed to enter the U.S.,
27:37but it's been a costly lesson.
27:41They're all usually pretty upset
27:42about paying $300 for some mangoes and oranges,
27:45but, I mean, at the end of the day,
27:48he did make a mistake.
27:49He did have to pay for it.
27:51At the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge,
28:09officers suspect three minors could be in the process
28:12of being trafficked into the U.S.
28:14and that this is their grandmother.
28:15Officer Covarrubias has decided
28:16to call the girl's mother.
28:18Well, how are you, ma'am?
28:19I'm the officer Covarrubias,
28:20here, talking about Customs and Border Protection.
28:22All right.
28:23I'm here with your mother and your children.
28:24All right.
28:25I have them here in inspection.
28:26I have them here in inspection.
28:44The woman confirms all three of her children
28:53traveling with their grandmother.
28:54OK.
28:56If she doesn't find and send a photo of all four,
29:13they'll be sent back to Mexico.
29:15You have to send it to your mother's phone, please.
29:20OK.
29:21OK, bye.
29:22This is pretty much their last chance, guys.
29:24I mean.
29:33Finally, a photo was sent through,
29:35which shows them all together.
29:37OK, guys, yeah, that's all.
29:43OK, let's go.
29:56Satisfied they are related,
29:58the family is free to travel into Texas.
30:01Look, I'm going to give you an advice.
30:02Take an ID, if you can,
30:04a passport, to ensure that this will not happen in the future.
30:08OK, if it's easier to see, or at least,
30:12take the photos together.
30:14Right?
30:14Yes?
30:15Yes?
30:16Yeah, even if you don't like it, it's easier to see.
30:19OK, that's good.
30:23They were admitted as U.S. citizens.
30:26Really, really comfortable once we got
30:28the photographic evidence.
30:29Just seemed a little odd at the beginning,
30:31where none of them have photos of each other.
30:33It's very strange, but we see strange things here, so.
30:35At the southern border, wait times to cross into the U.S. can be long.
31:00Do you have a fast card?
31:01But a small percentage of travelers can enter more quickly
31:05if they are fast pass holders.
31:07This allows them to use the sentry lane,
31:09where lines are significantly reduced.
31:11They can use that dedicated lane.
31:14They can cross to Mexico and come back in a matter of minutes.
31:18Versus the regular traffic, which can sometimes be,
31:21like, three or four hours long.
31:23But qualifying for this status is a difficult process.
31:27And only those who have gone through rigorous checks
31:29are granted access.
31:37This morning, a car entering from Mexico using the sentry lane
31:41has been sent for inspection.
31:43You're going to park it over there
31:45in the first one to your right, OK?
31:49Checks reveal the vehicle hasn't been registered
31:52to the driver's fast pass card.
31:56He says he's borrowing his dad's car,
31:59while his own is being repaired.
32:01My dad has sentry on his other vehicle.
32:04And I was reading online that you can add,
32:06.
32:08So I added the vehicle today.
32:11Yeah, but you still have to wait
32:12until you get it approved.
32:14It's not just about adding it, but it's for you.
32:16It's added, and they have to wait till they approve it.
32:19You can't cross that vehicle until you get it approved
32:21in the system first.
32:21OK.
32:26If he's found with anything illegal in his car,
32:30he'll risk losing both his and his father's sentry pass.
32:34OK, so we have a little package here.
32:40And it's got what seems to be a joint or a blunt.
32:49We would have to test it to see if it'll test positive
32:54for something, marijuana, more than likely.
32:58Even if it's small, it's still not legal to bring into the country.
33:04Let's do it.
33:10Marijuana is illegal in Texas.
33:13And crossing the US border with any amount is forbidden.
33:17After putting it in the testing kit,
33:18it did test positive for cannabis.
33:22Unfortunately, it's not enough to do a seizure or a penalty.
33:26It was destroyed in testing.
33:30His sentry card, he's supposed to be a trusted traveler.
33:33So he's supposed to not have anything that's prohibited.
33:36He's held at a higher standard, in other words.
33:39The young man is let off with a warning,
33:41but both he and his father's fast pass will be revoked.
33:46This particular vehicle doesn't belong to him.
33:48So the owner would be deactivated,
33:51because now they're lending it to somebody else
33:53who was found with narcotics.
33:55We will lift up his sentry card,
33:58and he will no longer be able to travel as a trusted traveler.
34:03It could take years before their cards are reinstated.
34:08I think his dad's going to be very once he finds that out,
34:11that his sentry card was revoked.
34:22In the Mexican border town of Nuevo Progreso,
34:25there are over 100 pharmacies in one square mile.
34:30Everybody with this one?
34:31Yes, sir.
34:33With prices up to 70% cheaper than in the U.S.,
34:37it's become a magnet for medical tourism.
34:40Any medication?
34:41I've been up for the guy.
34:44But there are strict controls on how much
34:46can be brought back to the U.S.
34:48Did they double step it?
34:50And officers are highly trained to spot any irregularities.
34:54We handle hundreds of bottles of medication every day.
34:58So every time we feel it, if it's different,
35:01then we know that there's something wrong with it.
35:05This afternoon, Officer Tereo has stopped a female traveler.
35:09She suspects the woman is smuggling pain medication.
35:18This lady had a bottle of Tramadol,
35:21and it just felt a little heavy.
35:22And when I opened it, I noticed that the pills
35:24were halfway up the bottle instead of typically
35:26about a quarter of the way up.
35:27I'm just thinking it was double stuffed.
35:29Double stuffing, or concealing extra pills in one bottle,
35:39is a well-known trick to get illicit drugs
35:41across the border.
35:46All right, yeah, there's a whole bunch in here.
35:48How many bottles are in here, two or three?
35:50No, there's only one.
35:56The medication is Tramadol,
35:58a controlled substance in the US
36:00due to its addictive nature.
36:03So you've got two bottles in here, right?
36:15Who said that you could do that?
36:16In the pharmacy bag.
36:18But the pharmacist doesn't work over here, do they?
36:22Travelers can only bring in 50 pills
36:24at one time without a prescription.
36:26The woman has over 100.
36:29Since she didn't declare them, she
36:31could be facing a heavy penalty or even jail time.
36:35Tramadol is a narcotic.
36:36It's an opioid-pain medication.
36:38So this is the same thing as if you were to have heroin.
36:41So this is transportation of a controlled substance.
36:44Your drug's nothing.
36:45No, the guy said I quit.
36:47That's exactly what he said.
36:49Have you done this before?
36:50Uh, to put them in the tube, no, and that, you know...
36:53Have you been in trouble with us before?
36:55Yes, ma'am.
36:56What for?
36:57For, my niece had that, and they pulled me in, you know,
37:01with a...
37:02And you didn't learn from that?
37:03Huh?
37:04You didn't learn from that?
37:04No, I didn't have it.
37:05Let me talk to my supervisor and see what he wants to do.
37:07Okay?
37:08Yes, ma'am.
37:12Somebody's been told the laws before.
37:14They've had the seizures with us before.
37:16We've taken payment for a penalty for them before.
37:19They already know what the regulation is.
37:20They already know what the laws are.
37:22And she's still trying to circumvent them.
37:24Have a seat on the bench.
37:25I'm going to hand-stoke you for officer safety, okay?
37:29Okay.
37:36To help determine her punishment,
37:38Officer Peña wants to find out more
37:40about the woman's intentions.
37:42Have you ever smuggled medicine before?
37:45Yes.
37:46Two years ago, but it wasn't me.
37:47It was my niece, but I was with her.
37:48Well, you were the one that was charged with it.
37:49Yeah, I was with her.
37:50Okay, you don't learn your lesson, ma'am.
37:51They only give you one chance.
37:52So you might go to jail today.
37:53No.
37:54No.
37:55No.
37:56No.
37:57No.
37:58No.
37:59No.
38:00No.
38:01No.
38:02No.
38:03No.
38:04No.
38:05No.
38:06No.
38:07No.
38:08No.
38:09No.
38:10No.
38:11No.
38:12No.
38:13No.
38:14No.
38:16No.
38:17No.
38:18No.
38:19No.
38:20No.
38:21No.
38:22No.
38:23No.
38:24No.
38:25No.
38:26No.
38:27No.
38:28No.
38:29A 60-1-year-old woman could be facing jail time,
38:30fine for the same offense.
38:32It was my niece.
38:33You were the one that was charged with it.
38:38What do you use it for?
38:48Why did you get it in the U.S.?
38:50Because I don't have insurance.
38:52Well, you can bring it in,
38:53but there's only a certain amount.
38:55They only give you one chance.
38:57It doesn't work for the plan.
38:59Ma'am, you've been in this predicament before now.
39:03Last time we just finally, remember?
39:0541.0.
39:06Count 119 and the one for testing.
39:0941.373.
39:17A call is made to the state prosecutor,
39:20who confirms that they will be pressing charges.
39:23Yes ma'am?
39:26I am.
39:28You're in a super nice place.
39:30Yes ma'am.
39:32Am I gonna go to jail?
39:34What do you like to jail?
39:36Please, please, just...
39:38All I need from you is to relax.
39:46If you guys don't give a
39:49that I'm gonna lose everything again,
39:51I'm gonna be out on the streets.
39:53I'm not the one that...
39:54No.
39:55But you guys don't care.
39:57You guys don't care about anybody.
40:05A local law enforcement officer arrives
40:07to take the woman into custody.
40:09You all right?
40:11No, I'm scared.
40:12And if I go to jail,
40:13I'm gonna get fired from my job.
40:15If you go to jail, they fire you.
40:18And I've been working there for seven years.
40:21Unfortunately, the subject is very upset,
40:24obviously, because of the situation.
40:26The woman is handcuffed and led away.
40:32She'll be taken to the local Hidalgo precinct.
40:35We can't be lenient just because
40:37she's having a harder time with this
40:39than other people might be.
40:41You broke the law, you broke the law,
40:44and you already knew what the consequences could be.
40:46It will now be up to state prosecutors
40:51to determine her sentence.
41:16The Miner is being sentenced to three years
41:18and he's engaged with this.
41:23The Miner talks are up to the zoo,
41:25and people have along the boundaries
41:27of those últim guys.
41:29The Minerowocs must be public in public to
41:30solvemiÅŸe alert,
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