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Contraband: Seized at the Border - Season 8 - Episode 02: Grab Bag
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00:09At the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
00:12Passports, IDs, any proof of citizenship.
00:18Cartels use increasingly bold methods to cross narcotics into the U.S.
00:25In this facility in particular, the drug smuggling never stops.
00:30A lot of the trends we are seeing right now is young males with drugs on their bodies.
00:38Usually they come in in the morning when kids are going to school.
00:43Officers are on alert to spot these so-called body carriers.
00:47I'm looking for any nervousness, any jitters, anything that would send off red flags.
01:00It's 9 a.m.
01:04A traveler is transported to secondary after giving officers suspicious answers.
01:10We got a call that we have a body carrier from Pedestrian West.
01:19He's 21 years old.
01:22He is a U.S. citizen.
01:28The officer asked him, where are you going?
01:30He said, I'm going to work.
01:32And he had a backpack on, kind of like what a school kid would wear, not somebody going to work.
01:38So he checked the bag.
01:40He noticed the bag was empty.
01:42Why is the bag empty?
01:43And so that's a red flag.
01:47Security office wasn't coming in.
01:54The officer did an immediate pat-down.
01:57There were two packages found, and in this case, it was his lower back.
02:04People will do whatever they can to try and get narcotics here.
02:24We have to do what we have to do.
02:36We have to do what we have to do.
02:51It's early evening at the Progresso International Bridge.
02:56What are you bringing to me?
02:57A dog.
03:00And officers are vetting travelers returning from day trips to Mexico.
03:07We were just here with our friends.
03:09I went for my lashes.
03:11All right, sir, go ahead.
03:13I won't.
03:15No.
03:17I need to have a good one.
03:19One man coming back with his girlfriend after a date across the border.
03:24His flag is having a warrant out for his arrest.
03:28No.
03:38He is apprehended immediately.
03:41Where are you coming?
03:43Coming?
03:47This court date?
03:48This ticket?
03:49Maybe.
03:52I have this gentleman who applied for entry today.
03:55It looks like he has a warrant for his arrest out of Brooks County for smuggling of persons.
04:05Public records reveal the man is alleged to have tried to transport an illegal migrant across a border patrol checkpoint.
04:17Good evening.
04:18I'm officer Alvarado.
04:20So it looks like you have a warrant out for your arrest out of Brooks County for smuggling, human smuggling.
04:26Oh, okay.
04:27Does that ring a bell?
04:28That happened a while back, but they were easily.
04:31So that's you?
04:33I remember that happened about a year ago.
04:38For the right amount of money, some U.S. citizens are prepared to smuggle migrants looking for work across the
04:45border.
04:46Did you know the person you were traveling with?
04:49No.
04:49You didn't know them?
04:50No.
04:51And it was just you and the person?
04:52Yeah.
04:53So you were traveling with a complete stranger in your vehicle?
04:55Yeah.
04:57Did they pay you?
04:58No, no, no.
04:58I was giving him a right because I was sending him to work and they found him in the car
05:03and they detained him.
05:07How did you meet him?
05:10My friend recommended him to go work with me.
05:13Your friend recommended him.
05:13What did you do?
05:14Or what were you doing at the time?
05:15I was in the oil field back then.
05:16In the oil field?
05:17Yeah.
05:17Okay.
05:18So how long did you know the gentleman before he was in the vehicle?
05:20Like, a couple hours.
05:22Had you been arrested for anything else before?
05:25Back then, misdemeanors, the DWI.
05:29Okay.
05:31So we'll let you know he was in the vehicle.
05:32Okay, thank you.
05:33Okay.
05:35Despite the man's claim that police let him go, the average punishment for people smuggling across U.S. borders is
05:4215 months' imprisonment.
05:46People here who live in the valley, we know exactly what happens at the checkpoint.
05:53So for you to trust someone blindly and have someone jump in your vehicle just to get past the checkpoint,
06:00it should be an immediate red flag.
06:03He should have known what was going on.
06:07While investigations continue, Officer Avarado is concerned the man may also have contraband hidden in his belongings.
06:17He's gotten in trouble for a variety of different things, so it wouldn't surprise me to see that he's trying
06:24to get something past us in something like his shoes and the cotton candy.
06:29You know, it could have been an innocent trip to Progreso, but it could be a quick smuggling trip for
06:35him as well.
06:37And that's what we're here to find out.
06:54In San Diego, a 21-year-old has been detained after trying to walk across the border into the U
07:03.S.
07:03with suspected narcotics hidden under his clothing.
07:08People will do whatever they can to try and get narcotics here.
07:12Once the packages have been removed from the man's body, they are taken to the seizure room.
07:19We don't know exactly what it is right now.
07:22It could be cocaine, fentanyl, or meth.
07:25Those are the top three that are usually smuggled across the border.
07:31I also can get my P.P. on.
07:34Officer Morales prepares to test the contraband.
07:38Safety first.
07:39You never know what you're testing.
07:42Since exposure to the unknown substance could be harmful, the process is carried out in a controlled environment.
07:51There's our fume hood.
07:52Pretty much keeps us safe.
07:54It prevents the narcotic, whatever powder, crystal from hidden in the eye.
07:58There's a vacuum that sucks up all the fumes.
08:01If there's any fumes that reflect or come off the substance, we see fentanyl here all the time.
08:05So whatever we can take to be safe.
08:07Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 50 times more potent than heroin.
08:12And with a chance it could be within the packages, Officer Morales proceeds with caution.
08:17So I'm going to just get into it and see what we got.
08:21Sometimes you can feel the crunch of an item.
08:25But right now it's a white powdery substance.
08:28It could be anything.
08:28It could be cocaine.
08:29It could be fentanyl.
08:30So we're about to find out.
08:47In Progreso, officers have detained a man who was wanted for previously smuggling an illegal migrant from Mexico through a
08:55border patrol checkpoint.
09:02He says he was released by police after claiming he didn't know who his passenger was.
09:10For you to trust someone blindly and have someone jump in your vehicle just to get past the checkpoint, it
09:15should be an immediate red flag.
09:17While he waits to hear from local law enforcement if the man will be taken into police custody,
09:24officer Alvarado wants to ensure he isn't hiding any contraband in his belongings.
09:30And I just want to make sure that there's nothing in here.
09:33The cigarettes, very easy to smuggle something or something like this.
09:36See, we've seen one where they usually take the tobacco out and they'll put fentanyl inside and then they'll put
09:41it back up.
09:41And they'll spit it in there.
09:43And it's very easy to miss unless you actually sit down and you look at it.
09:47You kind of squeeze it a little bit.
09:51The tiniest bit of fentanyl is worth, you know, hundreds of dollars, a ridiculous amount.
09:57Small little speck is enough to kill you, so it's dangerous, but we have seen it.
10:02All his baggage is...
10:04All the food is clean.
10:07Everything of his is good.
10:11The search finds nothing suspicious.
10:14All right, thank you.
10:15Bye.
10:17And a decision is made about the man's potential extradition.
10:21So we just received confirmation that the county that was looking for him, they have their limit of 45 miles.
10:28And we are, I believe, 91 miles away from the county.
10:31So we're outside of the extradition zone.
10:34So the county is not going to pick him up.
10:38He's going to be released.
10:39We're going to return everything back to him.
10:42But, well, at least a good thing is that now he'll know that he does have a warrant out for
10:45his arrest.
10:47You're going to be free to go.
10:52Yeah, go ahead.
10:53Go ahead.
10:54I can have a seat, throw your shoes.
10:56A free man for now.
10:58The traveler wants to know how to clear his name.
11:01So that, that warrant and what, what I had to do about that because I had no idea about that.
11:07So the warrant is in, um, Brooks County?
11:10Brooks, okay, which is from Los Fresnos.
11:13Mind you, if you show up there and you're wanted, you know, representing your...
11:18What, what, um, I need to call them, ask them what's...
11:21Call them, let you know.
11:22To deal with it.
11:22To deal with it, yes.
11:23Okay, because they didn't tell me that they released me, so I didn't know.
11:27But now that I know, I mean, I've been good.
11:30I have my two kids.
11:31I'm a single father.
11:33I'm not messing around, man.
11:36Unless he clears up his outstanding warrant with the authorities,
11:40the man will be detained every time he tries to cross the border.
11:48He really wants to go out and fix it so that he can travel freely with his family.
11:52He's trying to make sure that nothing else happens again
11:54so that he can be a good father to his kids.
11:56It seems like he's trying to fix it and trying to move on.
12:00It's good to see, um, people can move on past their, their past mistakes.
12:16In San Diego, Officer Morales is testing two packages a male body carrier
12:22attempted to smuggle into the U.S.
12:26Sometimes you can feel the crunch of an item.
12:30Right now, it's a white powdery substance.
12:32It could be anything.
12:33It could be cocaine.
12:34It could be fentanyl.
12:35So we're about to find out.
12:38The device he's using can identify 14,000 different substances.
12:45Every substance absorbs light his own special way.
12:48This shoots a laser into the substance,
12:50and the reflection we get back from the substance,
12:51it tells us what it is.
12:56First spray came back positive for cocaine.
13:00Others always mix loads.
13:02That's why I'm going to test the second one.
13:04See, those ones already packed differently.
13:06They added rubber to this one.
13:10Same thing, cocaine.
13:15Still up for the officer.
13:18So now we can get the weight.
13:212.32 kilograms.
13:23That's a lot of cocaine for a body carrier.
13:26Had these two bundles sold in the U.S.,
13:28this cocaine would have made a cartel around $70,000.
13:34It will now be destroyed.
13:37That's good.
13:37It's not going into the country.
13:39So it's not killing people.
13:40People aren't causing crime for it.
13:43It's a very good day.
13:44Catch this.
13:45Keep it off the street.
13:46The suspect will now be questioned
13:48by Homeland Security investigations.
13:51The HSI investigator will do his interview and he'll determine whether we're going to federally prosecute
13:59or not.
14:01If convicted, he's facing at least five years in prison.
14:06They go ahead and take that risk that they can get by us.
14:10But, you know, eventually they will get caught.
14:30It's the end of the day rush at the Camino Real International Bridge.
14:39As travelers try to enter the U.S. before the crossing closes.
14:45They try to beat us in a way where they want to make it before 11 o'clock.
14:51They want to be in the rush, which they think that being the last ones to cross the bridge,
14:57we're not going to inspect the vehicle the way they're supposed to be inspected.
14:59No, we're going to do our inspections the way they're supposed to run.
15:07One driver crossing with his family has had his vehicle randomly selected for an x-ray.
15:16We look for any tampering, anything that is unusual.
15:22Officers are checking for any signs the pickup has been modified.
15:49Mexican drug cartels are known to create lead-lined compartments
15:54to prevent narcotics from being visible on the x-ray.
16:00This gentleman was driving with his family.
16:03There was one child that was sitting in the back.
16:07I'm not sure if it was to conceal the anomalies,
16:10but we're going to inspect and see what it is.
16:14According to my average, you can see like four blocks.
16:17They've done that before where they make one compartment,
16:19but underneath there's another compartment.
16:22See, all the seats right here, they have been taken off.
16:26You can see the screws where they've been tampered.
16:31Let's take the vehicle to the back so we can look a little bit more.
16:37Officers take the vehicle to a secure location for further inspection.
16:43This vehicle has been modified right here in the back.
16:45That seat's a little higher than usual.
16:47You can see it right here.
16:48Now that we have it here, this shouldn't be this high.
16:51So you can see where everything's been raised.
16:53Let's get to work.
16:54Let's get to work.
16:59Underneath right there where that area is,
17:02and that's what we're worried about right now.
17:05With evidence mounting that this vehicle's being used for smuggling,
17:10the driver is detained.
17:12Put your hands behind her.
17:14Why?
17:15Because yes.
17:16Put it on here, sir.
17:17Put it on here.
17:22I don't care.
17:26Most people don't want to have their family involved in something like this.
17:29But some people don't care.
17:31We still catch a lot of people like this.
17:34Drug loads where they have the kids in the back and the car seat.
17:38And right underneath there is drugs.
17:41If any narcotics are found in this vehicle,
17:44the driver could be facing more than 20 years in jail.
18:02In Eagle Pass,
18:04officers check vehicles for foods, plants, or animals
18:07that may carry pests or diseases
18:09to stop dangerous items from entering the U.S.
18:13What's the food?
18:15No fish, pork, fruit.
18:18Okay.
18:20Any travelers transporting goods
18:23which could be in violation
18:24are sent for inspection.
18:27Simplest terms,
18:28if it comes from a plant,
18:29declare it.
18:29If it comes from an animal,
18:30declare it.
18:31If it can cross,
18:32you can keep it.
18:33If it can't,
18:34then we give the option of take it back
18:35or they can abandon it here
18:37depending on what it is, of course.
18:44Today,
18:45a vehicle carrying a large number of coolers
18:48has caught the eye of agriculture specialist Morales.
18:52This vehicle is coming from Sinaloa
18:55going to here in Texas.
18:58He had some items.
19:01And upon inspection of these items,
19:05fresh frozen shrimp was discovered.
19:11Importing shrimp can pose a serious health risk
19:13to consumers
19:14because they can contain bacterias
19:17which could lead to food poisoning.
19:19Texas Game Warden Berry,
19:21an expert on aquatics,
19:23is called in.
19:24Things like oysters, shrimp,
19:27catfish, tilapia,
19:28all those things that come from Mexico,
19:30they can cross,
19:31but you need the proper documentation to do so.
19:34Shellfish have to be kept within certain temperatures,
19:36otherwise it can be very detrimental to the public.
19:41You're talking about sickness
19:42and possibly even death with oysters.
19:45So that's why it matters
19:46and that's why we're here.
19:48The driver says he intended to take the shrimp
19:51to a family gathering in Texas
19:52and didn't know there were rules around importing it.
20:00There in Abolato Cepita
20:02is campo pesquero.
20:12Anyone bringing shellfish into the U.S.
20:14must have written proof
20:16of where it was purchased.
20:29When you try to import aquatic resources,
20:33you have to have documentation.
20:42Without the proper paperwork,
20:44the driver could be looking
20:45at a $10,000 fine.
21:02At the Camino Real International Bridge,
21:05Let's get to work.
21:07Officer Trevizo suspects a driver
21:10heading to San Antonio with his family
21:12is smuggling narcotics.
21:16After an X-ray revealed
21:18what looks like a red-lined compartment
21:20underneath the back seats of his pickup.
21:23We look for any tampering,
21:26anything that is unusual.
21:28One of the biggest things that we saw right away
21:29was a non-factory screw.
21:31Usually those are a good indicator
21:33there is something there.
21:36Fold this seat forward.
21:41Officers are trying to get a clear view
21:43of the vehicle's floor
21:44where evidence of modification
21:46has been spotted.
21:48You can see the screws right here
21:49where they've been taken off a lot.
21:55Can you remove the plug,
21:56the wrong one?
21:59Officers find an access point
22:00to the hidden compartment.
22:12But nothing could be seen inside.
22:15They just remove a piece of metal
22:16to see if there was anything underneath,
22:18but there's nothing underneath now.
22:20So we're just going to try to maybe
22:22see on the other side.
22:24There's one all the way to the office.
22:26Yeah, from here to here.
22:27Should be another trap door
22:28maybe on this side?
22:30On the other side of the vehicle.
22:32Right here.
22:36Officers attempt to find another way in.
22:41Put the flashlight right there
22:42on the screwdriver.
22:43See if it goes to the back.
22:47Reel away.
22:49Okay, on the seat.
23:03That one is the bottom.
23:08The light is going right through.
23:16Although the vehicle's
23:17obviously been modified,
23:19this time there's nothing
23:21in the compartment.
23:24It would have been nice
23:25if it would have been loaded,
23:26but this time it was empty.
23:29It's been used before.
23:31We try to catch money, drugs,
23:34but sometimes we just catch
23:35the empty compartments,
23:36which in a way,
23:38they help us out
23:39for future investigations.
23:42So, bus man, what do we do?
23:44Put it back?
23:46Close it?
23:47Yeah, we'll put it back.
23:50This is enough
23:51for so much fun.
23:54With no contraband found,
23:56the driver and his family
23:57are free to go.
23:59But he's likely
24:00to have been spooked
24:01by the discovery
24:02of the hidden compartment.
24:05So the vehicle's
24:06going to be released.
24:07We would have found
24:08some drugs on it,
24:09but since we didn't,
24:10well, I'm pretty sure
24:11this guy,
24:11after we check his vehicle today,
24:13he's probably never going
24:13to cross with that vehicle again
24:15because he's probably going
24:16to think that we're
24:16looking for his vehicle.
24:30In Eagle Pass,
24:32a man has tried
24:33to import a cooler
24:34full of frozen shrimp
24:35with no documentation.
24:39Things like oysters,
24:41shrimp, catfish, tilapia,
24:42they can cross,
24:44but you need the proper
24:44documentation to do so.
24:51He's now facing
24:52up to a $10,000 fine
24:54for violating the rules
24:55about importing
24:56marine wildlife.
24:59We need to know
24:59where they came from
25:00for diseases,
25:01what temp they were kept at,
25:03and providing the documentation
25:04is necessary
25:05for everything that we do.
25:33whether intentional or not,
25:35the man has still broken the law,
25:38game warden Barry
25:39must decide his punishment.
25:50We'll go ahead and seize it.
25:51I'm going to issue a warning
25:52for this time,
25:53but the next time
25:54you will receive a citation,
25:56okay?
25:57The man is lucky.
25:58Warden Barry
25:59has taken him at his word
26:01and spares him a penalty.
26:04But the shrimp
26:05must be seized.
26:08Look at the whiskers
26:10on that guy.
26:11Cool.
26:11You got to pay extra
26:12at the restaurants
26:13for that big.
26:14The jumbo size?
26:14Yeah, yeah, for sure.
26:16The shrimp
26:17will be one of around
26:182,500 food-based seizures
26:20made today
26:21by agriculture specialists
26:23across all U.S. ports of entry.
26:28It's part of our job
26:30to protect
26:31American agriculture
26:32and aquatic resources
26:35is an agriculture product.
26:36This is what we do.
26:38We're trying to keep America safe.
26:56The Progreso International Bridge
26:58links the U.S.
27:00with the Mexican town
27:01of Nuevo Progreso,
27:03a popular destination
27:05for travelers
27:06wanting to pick up
27:07cheap medication
27:08to take home.
27:09How you doing, sir?
27:10Hello.
27:10Can you open your bag?
27:13Any medications?
27:14Yes, sir.
27:14Here, right there.
27:16Here's the prescription
27:17of everything.
27:21Today,
27:22a family heading home
27:23to Corpus Christi
27:25has been referred
27:25to secondary inspection.
27:30What are y'all doing
27:31in Mexico today?
27:31My sister got a tattoo.
27:33My son got a tattoo.
27:35Okay, go ahead
27:35and turn the vehicle off.
27:36I'm going to have y'all
27:37come stand next to the table
27:38for me, okay?
27:40Officer Terrio
27:40wants to ensure
27:42there are no controlled meds
27:43hidden anywhere
27:44in the vehicle.
27:46Is there any Tramadol,
27:47Xanax, Axion,
27:48anything like that?
27:49I didn't bring none of that.
27:51One Xanax.
27:51One Xanax?
27:52They're all in the bank.
27:54Okay.
27:54I'm going to have you guys
27:55stand on that side
27:55of the table, okay?
27:57The legal limit
27:58for crossing Xanax
27:59without a prescription
28:00is one bottle per person.
28:04One Xanax.
28:05There it is.
28:05Found it.
28:07Officers need to check
28:08they aren't carrying
28:09anything else.
28:11Can I see your purses?
28:12Yes.
28:20Oh, whose was that?
28:24Bottle of Z-Pak.
28:25Bottle of Z-Pak, right?
28:27So that's not Z-Pak inside.
28:29That's Xanax.
28:30Oh.
28:32100 extra anti-anxiety pills
28:34have been hidden
28:35in a bottle labeled
28:36as antibiotics
28:38inside one of the women's handbags.
28:40Can we actually have a prescription
28:41for my doctor to fill it?
28:43I can call my doctor
28:44and show you my prescription.
28:45That has nothing,
28:45that has nothing to do with that.
28:47That's not how this works.
28:48You can't smuggle drugs
28:50in a different medication bottle.
28:51That's fine.
28:52I'll be honest with you.
28:53The woman's son
28:54now claims the meds are his.
28:57I take it.
28:58But why is it in a Z-Pak bottle?
29:00The prescription doesn't...
29:00Okay, everybody stop.
29:01No, you stop.
29:02Okay, my bad.
29:03This is drug smuggling.
29:04This is a scheduled drug.
29:05It is hidden in this bottle.
29:07It says that it's Z-Pak,
29:08which is an antibiotic.
29:09This is not Z-Pak.
29:11It's the scheduled drug,
29:11which is drug smuggling.
29:12So now you're a drug smuggler.
29:14It was in your purse,
29:16therefore you are also complicit.
29:17You've done this as well.
29:19Smuggling controlled medication
29:21can carry a penalty
29:22of $1,000
29:23and a year in prison.
29:25We're all going to go inside.
29:25The mother and son
29:27are taken inside
29:28for further questioning.
29:41Thank you, I see you later.
29:42You got a copy.
29:58The Eagle Pass International Bridge
30:00is frequently targeted
30:03by cartels
30:04to transport contraband
30:05into Mexico
30:06using independent couriers
30:09who may be unaware
30:10of what they are carrying.
30:14And we're checking for encargos,
30:16which is unaccompanied goods.
30:18Unaccompanied goods
30:19are basically items
30:20that they were giving
30:20to these people
30:21to bring into Mexico
30:22by an unknown person.
30:24And typically,
30:25they don't know
30:26what's inside the boxes
30:27that they're bringing over.
30:29So those are the ones
30:30that we're targeting right now.
30:34This evening,
30:35a convoy of two trailers
30:37traveling together
30:38has been stopped.
30:39Just park it right there, Julio.
30:43Their cargo
30:44is sent through the X-ray.
30:50Officer Somaniego
30:51believes smugglers
30:52may have hidden
30:52illicit goods
30:53within the trailers.
30:56They bring the stuff
30:57into Eagle Pass.
30:59They drop them off
31:00at a storage facility,
31:01and then they reload
31:03the trailers,
31:04and then the driver
31:05just drives it
31:06across the border.
31:09Various tactics
31:10are used
31:11to try to ensure
31:11any illegal items
31:13remain undetected.
31:15Usually,
31:16it's the first thing
31:16that they load
31:17and the last thing
31:18to come off.
31:19With them thinking
31:19or hoping
31:20that we get tired
31:21and we say,
31:22okay, we've got to stop,
31:23and that way,
31:24they don't have to get
31:24everything down.
31:25But we've got
31:26a great group of guys
31:27that like to work,
31:28so,
31:29like Mr. Davila here,
31:30so we end up
31:32getting everything down.
31:40It looks like
31:41we got something here.
31:44Suspiciously shaped objects
31:46are soon spotted
31:47in a box unloaded
31:49from one of the trailers.
31:51It's in that one.
31:53Looks like ammo.
32:05Go ahead and open it up.
32:07Looks like there's
32:08a gun in there, too.
32:09We got the screwdriver
32:10because I don't have gloves on.
32:12You got it?
32:13The officers suspect
32:14the cartel
32:16has hidden a firearm
32:17and bullets
32:17inside two car jump starters.
32:20You want to do this?
32:21Yeah.
32:23Also,
32:24these need to come off, too?
32:25Yeah.
32:27That's why it's
32:27giving me a hard time.
32:28In Mexico,
32:30firearms and ammo
32:30can sell on the black market
32:32for double the retail cost
32:33in the U.S.
32:35Over there,
32:35nobody can have weapons
32:36unless you're military.
32:39That's the only people
32:40that can have weapons
32:41over there, so...
32:44They can...
32:45They'll get it
32:45any which way they can.
32:48There you go.
32:48There you go.
32:49It cracked.
32:49It cracked.
32:50Open it on the bottom.
32:53No, it's got foam,
32:54so it's not going to come off,
32:55so just let it fall,
32:57see if it'll break open
32:58and drop it really hard.
33:11They use foams,
33:12like house foam,
33:13so that you won't hear
33:14the rattling
33:14of the ammo inside.
33:16There you go.
33:17That's like ammo.
33:18The holy grail.
33:21The holy grail.
33:30In Progresso...
33:31This is not a Z-Pack.
33:33It's the scheduled drug,
33:34which is drug smuggling,
33:34so now you're a drug smugler.
33:35A family returning from Mexico
33:37has been detained
33:39after 100 prescription
33:40anti-anxiety pills
33:42were found hidden
33:43in a different bottle.
33:46It's an offense
33:47which could be punishable
33:49by a year in jail.
33:51When we checked
33:52the lady's purse,
33:53we ended up finding
33:54inside of a pack
33:55of antibiotic
33:56there was Xanax
33:57that was hidden inside.
33:58The young man
33:59has taken claim for it,
34:01saying it was his,
34:02so we're just trying
34:04to analyze the situation
34:05as it keeps going.
34:06Officer Terrio
34:07suspects the bottles
34:09were switched
34:09to enable the young man
34:11to cross with more meds
34:12than permitted.
34:13You guys knew
34:14you couldn't bring
34:14more than one, right?
34:15I didn't.
34:15Well, then why was it in there?
34:17I have no idea.
34:18You don't know
34:18why it's in there?
34:19No, he just gave us a bag.
34:20Bought a bottle of Z-Pack
34:21and it's a surprise inside.
34:22No, he just gave us a bag
34:23and says, here you go,
34:24put it in his bag.
34:24We see this every single day
34:26that people put it
34:26in the wrong medication bottle.
34:28The family claims
34:29the pharmacy put the extra
34:31Xanax pills in their bags
34:33without their knowledge,
34:34but officers are skeptical.
34:36Just because they sell it
34:37on the shelf over there
34:38on the counter,
34:39that doesn't make it okay.
34:41Medication coming out
34:42of Mexico,
34:43it's not FDA approved.
34:45A lot of times
34:45it's laced with fentanyl.
34:47There's a good chance
34:49you'll be arrested
34:50and it'll be a felony.
34:53Whoever that is,
34:54is probably going to
34:54spend the night in jail.
34:55The son's mislabeled bottle
34:57could put him in serious risk
34:59of prison time.
35:01Officers decide on a pat-down
35:02to establish
35:03if he's smuggling
35:04anything else.
35:05Wait, go ahead,
35:06take off your watch,
35:07leave it on the table for me.
35:08What about your chain?
35:09Can you take that off
35:10for me too, please?
35:11He's only 20,
35:13you know,
35:13they act like
35:14he's a good kid.
35:16I'm being very lucky.
35:17Come on,
35:17back up.
35:18Family is a good kid.
35:19He's a nice boy.
35:19Very nice boy.
35:21Come on, you go.
35:21Put on the time.
35:23The pat-down
35:24finds no other contraband.
35:27Thank you, sir.
35:27Yeah, no problem.
35:32Leaving officers
35:33with a decision to make.
35:35You're taking claim
35:36for that?
35:36Yes, ma'am.
35:37Okay.
35:37Can I talk to you
35:38for a minute?
35:38Right over here?
35:39Okay.
35:42Because you don't have
35:43any prior offenses,
35:44I'm going to let you
35:45just return it to Mexico
35:46and not get arrested today.
35:48Are we okay with that?
35:50Yeah.
35:50Okay.
35:51You are going to be checked
35:51every time you come in now.
35:52For how long we think
35:54is necessary.
35:55I don't even care.
35:56You didn't do a better thing.
35:57You got a job to do.
35:58I got a job.
35:59Okay.
36:00My job is to stay clean.
36:01Your job is to take
36:02care of them bad guys.
36:04Okay.
36:04Okay.
36:05So let's do what you got to do.
36:06Okay.
36:07We're just going to have you
36:07return it to Mexico.
36:10The young man
36:11has avoided a penalty
36:13this time.
36:14This is the get-out-of-jail-free
36:15card for today.
36:17And once he's disposed
36:18of the excess pills
36:19in Mexico,
36:20they're all free to go.
36:22Thank you, honey.
36:23Of course.
36:26Hopefully this was
36:27a wake-up call
36:27and he'll learn his lesson
36:29not to smuggle
36:29scheduled medications.
36:32It's just another
36:33Saturday in Progresso.
36:49An Eagle Pass.
36:50An inspection of a convoy
36:52of two trailers.
36:54Looks like we got
36:55something here.
36:56Looks like ammo.
36:59Looks like there's a gun
37:00in there, too.
37:03Has uncovered
37:04suspected ammunition
37:05and a firearm
37:06hidden inside
37:07two car jump starters.
37:09There you go.
37:10The Holy Grail.
37:14The driver responsible
37:16is a courier
37:17who claims the trailer
37:18was preloaded
37:19and has no knowledge
37:20of the contents.
37:22We did some queries
37:23on the guy.
37:24No priors.
37:25Usually that's good
37:26for them.
37:27HSI will come in
37:28and do their investigation
37:29and then we'll find out
37:30what they want to do
37:31with him.
37:35While he's interviewed
37:36by Homeland Security
37:38Investigations,
37:39the packages are sent
37:40for further inspection.
38:04Okay, so we have 100 rounds
38:06of rifle ammunition.
38:0850 rounds,
38:10100 rounds
38:11of 45 auto.
38:14And then we have
38:15200 rounds
38:17of 9mm
38:18and another 40 rounds
38:20of rifle ammunition.
38:25That's that glove.
38:279mm.
38:39We do have to put
38:40an appraised value
38:41so what we do is
38:42we look them up
38:43on the internet,
38:43see how much
38:44they're valued at.
38:45I think the most expensive
38:46box was like $76
38:49so $500 worth
38:50of ammunition.
38:52They'll probably double
38:53the price in Mexico.
38:58The handgun is checked
38:59against a law enforcement
39:00database.
39:03We just need to run
39:04the gun to make sure
39:05it's not stolen.
39:06If it is,
39:07then you will more
39:08than likely go to jail.
39:11Being caught in possession
39:12of a stolen firearm
39:13in the U.S.
39:14can lead to a 10-year
39:16imprisonment.
39:18And I think
39:19it's going to be
39:21negative.
39:22It has no,
39:23no hits
39:24for it being stolen.
39:26A clean gun
39:27is good news
39:28for the courier,
39:30who has also
39:31cooperated fully
39:32with the interviewer.
39:34The driver
39:35was pretty straight up.
39:36He gave us
39:36the information
39:37we needed,
39:37you know,
39:38to look further
39:39into this,
39:39the investigation
39:40on where these guns
39:42are,
39:42where the gun
39:43and the ammo
39:43are coming from.
39:44So we're pretty happy
39:46with the outcome of it.
39:48The driver,
39:48it was his first offense,
39:50so our supervisor
39:51decided to let him
39:53go this time.
39:54He got lucky today,
39:55so he gets to walk.
40:01He may think twice
40:02about carrying
40:03unknown cargo
40:04in the future.
40:10If he's caught
40:11transporting
40:11illicit goods again,
40:13the courier
40:14could be charged
40:15up to $5,000,
40:16have his vehicle seized,
40:18or face jail time.
40:21You know,
40:21it's weapons
40:22and ammo
40:23that we got
40:23off the street,
40:24so we're pretty happy.
40:26It just helps
40:27our counterparts
40:28over there in Mexico
40:29take down some weapons,
40:30take down some ammo
40:31that, you know,
40:32could save lives
40:33over there.
40:34So the total,
40:35it ended up being
40:36one Glock,
40:3743,
40:38two magazines,
40:39and 440 rounds
40:42of assorted ammunition.
40:44A pretty good
40:45lick for today.
40:59A pretty good lick
41:01for today.
41:03got to be ready.
41:04I don't know you
41:04have to.
41:09It's a good
41:09No,
41:09no,
41:10I feel like
41:11it's a good
41:11rock.
41:11I don't know you
41:11have to do.
41:11Oh,
41:15no,
41:15yeah,
41:21I don't know you
41:22But,
41:24I don't know.
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