- 6 hours ago
- #borderforceusa
- #uscustoms
- #nationalsecurity
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection faces a critical moment as they intercept a significant amount of illicit substances, potentially impacting national security. This episode delves into the intricate operations of Borderforce USA, showcasing the dedication and skill of the officers on the front lines.
Officers encounter a wide array of challenges, from sophisticated smuggling techniques to the immense pressure of protecting the nation's borders. The strategic deployment of technology and human intelligence is paramount in their ongoing battle against cross-border crime.
This installment highlights the crucial role of Borderforce USA in maintaining the integrity of entry points and safeguarding against threats. The commitment of these dedicated professionals ensures a safer America, one interception at a time.
#BorderforceUSA #USCustoms #NationalSecurity
Officers encounter a wide array of challenges, from sophisticated smuggling techniques to the immense pressure of protecting the nation's borders. The strategic deployment of technology and human intelligence is paramount in their ongoing battle against cross-border crime.
This installment highlights the crucial role of Borderforce USA in maintaining the integrity of entry points and safeguarding against threats. The commitment of these dedicated professionals ensures a safer America, one interception at a time.
#BorderforceUSA #USCustoms #NationalSecurity
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Short filmTranscript
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.
01:47The security office wasn't coming in.
01:50He's done for it.
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.
02:08Let's do it.
02:10Let's do it.
02:23Let's do it.
02:52Transcription by CastingWords
03:17Transcription by CastingWords
03:24His flag is having a warrant out for his arrest.
03:37He is apprehended immediately.
03:41Where are you from?
03:47This court date, this ticket?
03:49Maybe a ticket.
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, I'm Officer Leverado.
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?
04:28It happened a while back, but they were easing me.
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?
04:49Did you know the person you were traveling with?
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 to work and they phoned him in the car and
05:04they 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.
05:30So we'll let you know he was in English later.
05:32Okay, thank you.
05:33Okay.
05:35Despite the man's claim that police let him go,
05:37the average punishment for people smuggling across U.S. borders is 15 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,
06:10Officer Alvarado is concerned the man may also have contraband hidden in his belongings.
06:17And he's gotten in trouble for a variety of different things.
06:20So it wouldn't surprise me to see that he's trying to get something past us
06:26in something like his shoes and the cotton candy.
06:29You know, it could have been an innocent trip to Progreso,
06:32but it could be a quick smuggling trip for him as well.
06:37And that's what we're here to find out.
06:54In San Diego,
06:57a 21-year-old has been detained
07:00after trying to walk across the border into the U.S.
07:04with 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,
07:15they 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 PPE 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,
07:46the process is carried out in a controlled environment.
07:51There's our fume hood.
07:52It pretty much keeps us safe.
07:54It prevents the narcotic, whatever powder,
07:57crystal from hitting us in the eye.
07:59There's a vacuum that sucks up all the fumes
08:00if there's any fumes that reflect or come off the substance.
08:04We see fentanyl here all the time,
08:05so whatever we can take to be safe.
08:07Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid
08:0950 times more potent than heroin,
08:12and with a chance it could be within the packages,
08:15Officer 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.
08:25Right now, it's a white powdery substance.
08:27It could be anything.
08:28It could be cocaine.
08:29It could be fentanyl.
08:30So we're about to find out.
08:47Inprogreso, officers have detained a man
08:50who was wanted for previously smuggling
08:52an illegal migrant from Mexico
08:54through a border patrol checkpoint.
09:01He says he was released by police
09:04after claiming he didn't know who his passenger was.
09:09For you to trust someone blindly
09:11and have someone jump in your vehicle
09:13just to get past the checkpoint,
09:14it should be an immediate red flag.
09:16While he waits to hear from local law enforcement
09:19if the man will be taken into police custody,
09:23Officer Alvarado wants to ensure
09:25he isn't hiding any contraband in his belongings.
09:29And I just want to make sure
09:30that there's nothing in here.
09:33The cigarettes, very easy to smuggle
09:35something else, something like this.
09:36See, we've seen one where they usually take
09:37the tobacco out and they'll put fentanyl inside
09:40and then they'll put it back up.
09:41And they'll spit it in there.
09:42And it's very easy to miss
09:44unless you actually sit down and you look at it.
09:46You kind of squeeze it a little bit.
09:50The tiniest bit of fentanyl is worth,
09:53you know, hundreds of dollars.
09:55A ridiculous amount.
09:56A small little speck is enough to kill you.
09:58So it's dangerous, but we have seen it.
10:01All his baggage is...
10:04All the food is clean.
10:07Everything of his is good.
10:10The search finds nothing suspicious.
10:14All right, thank you.
10:15You're right.
10:17And a decision is made
10:18about the man's potential extradition.
10:21So we just received confirmation
10:22that the county that was looking for him,
10:25they have their limit of 45 miles.
10:27And we are, I believe, 91 miles away from the county.
10:30So we're outside of the extradition zone.
10:34So the county is not going to pick him up.
10:37He's going to be released.
10:39We're going to return everything back to him.
10:42But at least a good thing is that now
10:43he'll know that he does have a warrant out for his arrest.
10:46You're going to be free, bro.
10:52Yeah, go ahead, Jacob.
10:53I can have a seat, there's a shoes.
10:56A free man for now.
10:57The traveler wants to know how to clear his name.
11:01So that warrant, what I had to do about that
11:04because I had no idea about that.
11:07So the warrant is in Brooks County?
11:09Brooks, okay, which is from Los Fresnos.
11:12Mind you, if you show up there and you're wanted,
11:16you know, you represent your...
11:17I need to call them, ask them what's...
11:20Call them, let you know.
11:21To deal with it.
11:22To deal with it, yes.
11:23Okay, because they didn't tell me that they released me,
11:25so I didn't know.
11:26But now that I know, I mean, I've been good.
11:30I have my two kids.
11:31I'm a single father.
11:32I'm not messing around, man.
11:35Unless he clears up his outstanding warrant
11:38with the authorities,
11:39the man will be detained
11:41every time he tries to cross the border.
11:48He really wants to go out and fix it
11:49so 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
11:58and trying to move on.
12:00It's good to see people can move on
12:02past their past mistakes.
12:16In San Diego,
12:18Officer Morales is testing two packages
12:21a male body carrier attempted to smuggle into the U.S.
12:25Sometimes 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.
12:33It could be fentanyl.
12:35So we're about to find out.
12:37The device he's using
12:39can identify 14,000 different substances.
12:44Every substance absorbs light
12:46its own special way.
12:47This shoots a laser into the substance
12:49and the reflection we get back from the substance,
12:51it tells us what it is.
12:55First break came back positive for cocaine.
13:00Others always mix loads.
13:02That's how I'm going to test the second one.
13:03See, those ones already packed differently.
13:06They added rubber to this one.
13:09Same thing, cocaine.
13:14Still up for the officer.
13:18So now we can get the weight.
13:202.32 kilograms.
13:22That's a lot of cocaine for a body carrier.
13:25Had these two bundles sold in the U.S.,
13:28this cocaine would have made a cartel
13:30around $70,000.
13:33It will now be destroyed.
13:36That'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.
13:43That's a very good day.
13:44Catch this.
13:44Keep it off the street.
13:45The suspect will now be questioned
13:47by Homeland Security investigations.
13:51The HSI investigator will do his interview and he'll determine
13:56whether we're going to federally prosecute or not.
14:00If convicted, he's facing at least five years in prison.
14:05They go ahead and take that risk that they can get by us,
14:09but, you know, eventually they will get caught.
14:25Jail, 5 and 7, roger.
14:29It's the end of the day rush
14:31at the Camino Real International Bridge.
14:39As travelers try to enter the U.S.
14:42before the crossing closes.
14:45They try to beat us in a way
14:47where they want to make it before 11 o'clock.
14:51They want to be in the rush,
14:53which they think that being the last ones
14:55to cross the bridge,
14:56we're not going to inspect the vehicle
14:58the way they're supposed to be inspected.
15:00No.
15:01We're going to do our inspections
15:02the way they're supposed to run.
15:06One driver crossing with his family
15:08has had his vehicle
15:10randomly selected for an X-ray.
15:15We look for any tampering,
15:18anything that is unusual.
15:22Officers are checking
15:23for any signs the pickup has been modified.
15:28This area right here,
15:31this is not normal.
15:34The color, dark like that,
15:35means that if they line it,
15:37usually they do that
15:39in order for us not to be able to catch it.
15:42It looks like it can be
15:44something hidden underneath the seat.
15:49Mexican drug cartels
15:51are known to create
15:52lead-lined compartments
15:53to prevent narcotics
15:55from being visible on the X-ray.
16:00This gentleman was driving
16:01with his family.
16:03There was one child
16:04that was sitting in the back.
16:07I'm not sure
16:07if it was to conceal
16:08the anomalies,
16:10but we're going to inspect
16:11and see what it is.
16:13According to my average,
16:14you can see like four blocks.
16:16They've done that before
16:17where they make one compartment,
16:19but underneath there's
16:19another compartment.
16:22See, all the seats right here,
16:24they have been taken off.
16:26You can see the screws
16:27where they've been tampered.
16:31Let's take the vehicle
16:32to the back
16:32so we can look
16:33a little bit more.
16:36Officers take the vehicle
16:38to a secure location
16:39for further inspection.
16:43This vehicle
16:43has been modified
16:44right here in the back.
16:45The seats are a little higher
16:46than usual.
16:46You can see it right here.
16:48Now that we have it here,
16:49this shouldn't be this high.
16:51So you can see
16:51where everything's been raised.
16:53Let's get to work.
16:59Underneath right there
16:59where that area is,
17:01and that's what we're
17:02worried about right now.
17:05With evidence mounting
17:06that this vehicle's
17:07being used for smuggling,
17:10the driver is detained.
17:25Most people don't want
17:26to have their family
17:27involved in something
17:28like this,
17:29but some people don't care.
17:31We still catch
17:32a lot of people like this.
17:34Drug loads where they have
17:35the kids in the back
17:36and the car seat,
17:37and right underneath
17:38there's drugs.
17:40If any narcotics
17:42are found in his vehicle,
17:43the driver could be facing
17:45more than 20 years in jail.
18:01In Eagle Pass,
18:03officers check vehicles
18:04for foods, plants, or animals
18:06that may carry pests
18:08or diseases
18:09to stop dangerous items
18:10from entering the U.S.
18:20Any travelers transporting goods
18:22which could be in violation
18:24are sent for inspection.
18:26Simplest terms,
18:27if it comes from a plant,
18:28declare it.
18:29If it comes from an animal,
18:30declare it.
18:30If it can cross,
18:31you can keep it.
18:32If it can't,
18:33then we give the option
18:34to take it back
18:35or they can abandon it here
18:36depending on what it is,
18:37of course.
18:44Today,
18:44a vehicle carrying
18:46a large number of coolers
18:47has caught the eye
18:48of agriculture specialist
18:50Morales.
18:52This vehicle
18:53is coming from Sinaloa
18:55going to here in Texas.
18:57He had some items,
19:00and upon inspection
19:01of these items,
19:05rash, frozen shrimp
19:07was discovered.
19:10Importing shrimp
19:11can pose a serious health risk
19:13to consumers
19:14because they can't contain bacterias
19:16which could lead
19:17to food poisoning.
19:18Texas Game Warden Berry,
19:20an expert on aquatics,
19:22is called in.
19:24Things like oysters,
19:25shrimp, catfish,
19:27tilapia,
19:27all those things
19:28that come from Mexico,
19:29they can cross,
19:31but you need the proper documentation
19:32to do so.
19:33Shellfish have to be kept
19:35within certain temperatures,
19:36otherwise it can be very detrimental
19:39to the public.
19:40You're talking about sickness
19:41and possibly even death
19:43with oysters,
19:44so that's why it matters
19:45and that's why we're here.
19:47The driver says
19:49he intended to take the shrimp
19:50to a family gathering
19:51in Texas
19:52and didn't know
19:53there were rules
19:54around importing it.
20:11Anyone bringing shellfish
20:13into the U.S.
20:13must have written proof
20:15of where it was purchased.
20:28When you try to import
20:31aquatic resources,
20:32you have to have documentation.
20:34Without the proper paperwork,
20:43the driver could be looking
20:44at a $10,000 fine.
21:02at the Camino Real International Bridge.
21:05Let's get to work.
21:07Officer Treviso suspects a driver
21:09heading to San Antonio
21:11with his family
21:11is smuggling narcotics.
21:15After an X-ray revealed
21:17what looks like
21:18a redlined compartment
21:19underneath the back seats
21:21of his pickup.
21:39officers are trying to get a clear view
21:42of the vehicle's floor
21:43where evidence of modification
21:45has been spotted.
21:47You can see the screws right here
21:49where they've been taken off a lot.
21:54Can you remove the plug,
21:55the round one?
21:58Officers find an access point
22:00to the hidden compartment.
22:11But nothing could be seen inside.
22:14They 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
22:21to maybe see on the other side.
22:23It runs all the way off, right?
22:25Yeah, from here to here.
22:27Should be another trapdoor
22:28maybe on this side?
22:29On the other side of the vehicle...
22:32Right here.
22:35Officers attempt to find another way in.
22:40Put the flashlight right there
22:41on the screwdriver.
22:42See if it goes to the back.
22:46Reel away.
23:05That one is the bottom.
23:08The light is going right through.
23:15Although the vehicle's
23:16obviously been modified,
23:19this time,
23:20there's nothing in the compartment.
23:23It would have been nice
23:24if it would have been loaded,
23:25but this time,
23:27it was empty.
23:28It's been used before.
23:31We try to catch money, drugs,
23:34but sometimes we just catch
23:35the empty compartment,
23:36which in a way,
23:37they help us out
23:38for future investigations.
23:41So,
23:42bus man,
23:43what do we do?
23:43Put it back?
23:45Yeah.
23:45Close it?
23:46Yeah, we'll put it back.
23:49This is enough,
23:50so much fun.
23:53With no contraband found,
23:55the driver and his family
23:56are free to go.
23:58But he's likely
23:59to have been spooked
24:00by the discovery
24:01of the hidden compartment.
24:04So the vehicle's
24:05going to be released.
24:06I wish we would have
24:07found some drugs on it,
24:08but since we didn't,
24:09well, I'm pretty sure
24:10this guy,
24:10after we check his vehicle today,
24:12he's probably never
24:12going to cross
24:13with that vehicle again
24:14because he's probably
24:15going to think
24:15that we're looking
24:16for his vehicle.
24:28In Eagle Pass,
24:31a man has tried
24:32to import a cooler
24:33full of frozen shrimp
24:34with no documentation.
24:38Things like oysters,
24:40shrimp,
24:40catfish,
24:41tilapia,
24:41they can cross,
24:43but you need
24:43the proper documentation
24:44to do so.
24:49He's now facing
24:51up to a $10,000 fine
24:53for violating the rules
24:54about importing
24:55marine wildlife.
24:58We need to know
24:58where they came from
24:59for diseases,
25:00what temp they were kept at,
25:02and providing the documentation
25:03is necessary
25:04for everything
25:05that we do.
25:32whether intentional or not,
25:34the man has still
25:35broken the law.
25:37Game Warden Berry
25:38must decide
25:39his punishment.
25:49We'll go ahead
25:49and seize it.
25:50I'm going to issue
25:50a warning for this time,
25:52but the next time
25:53you will receive
25:54a citation, okay?
25:55The man is lucky.
25:57Warden Berry
25:58has taken him
25:59at his word
26:00and spares him
26:01a penalty.
26:03But the shrimp
26:04must be seized.
26:07Look at the whiskers
26:09on that guy.
26:10You've got to pay extra
26:11at the restaurants
26:12for that big.
26:13The jumbo size?
26:13Yeah, yeah, for sure.
26:15The shrimp
26:15will be one
26:16of around 2,500
26:17food-based seizures
26:19made today
26:20by agriculture specialists
26:22across all U.S. ports
26:24of entry.
26:27It's part of our job
26:29to protect
26:30American agriculture
26:30and aquatic resources
26:34is an agriculture product.
26:35This is what we do.
26:37We're trying
26:37to keep America safe.
26:55The Progreso
26:56International Bridge
26:57links the U.S.
26:59with the Mexican town
27:00of Nuevo Progreso,
27:02a popular destination
27:04for travelers
27:05wanting to pick up
27:06cheap medication
27:07to take home.
27:08How you doing, sir?
27:09Hello.
27:09Can you open your bag?
27:11Any medications?
27:13Yes, sir.
27:13Right here.
27:14Here's the prescription
27:16and everything.
27:20Today,
27:21a family heading home
27:22to Corpus Christi
27:24has been referred
27:24to secondary inspection.
27:29What are y'all
27:29doing in Mexico today?
27:30My sister got a tattoo.
27:32My son got a tattoo.
27:34Okay, go ahead
27:34and turn the vehicle off.
27:35I'm going to have y'all
27:36come stand next
27:36to the table for me, okay?
27:38Officer Terrio
27:39wants to ensure
27:40there are no controlled meds
27:42hidden anywhere
27:43in the vehicle.
27:45Is there any Tramadol,
27:46Xanax, Axion,
27:47anything like that?
27:48I didn't bring none of that.
27:50No.
27:50One Xanax.
27:50One Xanax?
27:51They're all in the bank.
27:52Okay.
27:53I'm going to have you guys
27:53stand on that side
27:54of the table, okay?
27:56The legal limit
27:57for crossing Xanax
27:58without a prescription
27:59is one bottle per person.
28:03One Xanax.
28:04There it is.
28:04Found it.
28:06Officers need to check
28:07they aren't carrying
28:08anything else.
28:10Can I see your purses?
28:11Yes.
28:19Oh, whose was that?
28:23It's a Z-Pak.
28:24Bottle of Z-Pak, right?
28:26So that's not Z-Pak inside.
28:28That's Xanax.
28:29Oh.
28:31100 extra anti-anxiety pills
28:33have been hidden
28:34in a bottle labeled
28:35as antibiotics
28:37inside one of the
28:38women's handbags.
28:39Can I actually have a prescription
28:40for my doctor to go with it?
28:42I can call my doctor
28:43and show you my prescription.
28:44That has nothing,
28:44that has nothing to do with that.
28:46That's not how this works.
28:47You can't smuggle drugs
28:49in a different medication bottle.
28:50That's fine.
28:51I'll be honest with you.
28:52The woman's son
28:53now claims the meds are his.
28:56I think.
28:57But why is it in a Z-Pak bottle?
28:59The prescription doesn't.
28:59Okay, everybody stop.
29:00No, you stop.
29:01Okay, my bad.
29:02This is drug smuggling.
29:03This is a scheduled drug.
29:04It is hidden in this bottle.
29:06It says that it's Z-Pak,
29:07which is an antibiotic.
29:08This is not Z-Pak.
29:10It's the scheduled drug,
29:10which is drug smuggling.
29:11So now you're a drug smuggler.
29:13It was in your purse.
29:15Therefore, you are also complicit.
29:16You've done this as well.
29:18Smuggling controlled medication
29:19can carry a penalty
29:21of $1,000
29:22and a year in prison.
29:24We're all going to go in first.
29:24The mother and son
29:26are taken inside
29:27for further questioning.
29:40Thank you, R.C. Peter.
29:41You got it coming?
29:57The Eagle Pass International Bridge
29:59is frequently targeted by cartels
30:02to transport contraband into Mexico
30:05using independent couriers
30:07who may be unaware
30:09of what they are carrying.
30:13And we're checking for encargos,
30:15which is unaccompanied goods.
30:17Unaccompanied goods are basically items
30:18that they were giving to these people
30:19to bring into Mexico
30:21by an unknown person.
30:23And typically,
30:24they don't know
30:24what's inside the boxes
30:26that they're bringing over.
30:27So those are the ones
30:28that we're targeting right now.
30:33This evening,
30:34a convoy of two trailers
30:36traveling together
30:37has been stopped.
30:38Just park it right there, Julio.
30:42Their cargo
30:42is sent through the X-ray.
30:48Officer Somaniego
30:49believes smugglers
30:51may have hidden illicit goods
30:52within the trailers.
30:55They bring the stuff
30:56into Eagle Pass.
30:57They drop them off
30:59at a storage facility,
31:00and then they reload the trailers,
31:02and then the driver
31:04just drives it across the border.
31:08Various tactics are used
31:09to try to ensure
31:10any illegal items
31:11remain undetected.
31:14Usually,
31:14it's the first thing
31:15that they load
31:16and the last thing
31:16to come off.
31:17With them thinking
31:18or hoping
31:19that we get tired
31:20and we say,
31:21okay, we've got to stop,
31:22and that way,
31:23they don't have to get
31:23everything down.
31:24But we've got a great group
31:25of guys that like to work,
31:26so,
31:28like Mr. Davila here,
31:29so we end up
31:30getting everything down.
31:33Okay.
31:34Okay.
31:35Okay.
31:39It looks like
31:40we got something here.
31:43Suspiciously shaped objects
31:44are soon spotted
31:46in a box
31:47unloaded
31:47from one of the trailers.
31:50It's in that one.
31:51Nope.
31:52Looks like ammo.
32:04Go ahead and open it up.
32:06Looks like there's
32:07a gun in there, too.
32:08We got the screwdriver
32:09because I don't have gloves on.
32:10You got it?
32:12The officers suspect
32:13the cartel has hidden
32:15a firearm and bullets
32:16inside two car jump starters.
32:19You want to do this?
32:20Yeah.
32:22Also,
32:23these need to come off, too?
32:24Yeah.
32:25That's why it's giving me
32:26a hard time.
32:26In Mexico,
32:28firearms and ammo
32:29can sell on the black market
32:31for double the retail cost
32:32in the U.S.
32:33Over there,
32:34nobody can have weapons
32:35unless you're military.
32:37That's the only people
32:38that can have weapons
32:40over there, so...
32:43They can...
32:43They'll get it
32:44any which way they can.
32:46There you go.
32:47There you go.
32:48It cracked.
32:48It cracked.
32:49Open it from the bottom.
32:52No, it's got foam,
32:52so it's not going to come off.
32:54We'll just let it fall,
32:55see if it'll break open
32:57and drop it really hard.
33:10They use foams,
33:11like house foam,
33:12so that you won't hear
33:12the rattling
33:13of the ammo inside.
33:15There you go.
33:15That's like ammo.
33:17The Holy Grail.
33:29In Progresso...
33:30This is not a Z-Pak.
33:31It's the scheduled drug,
33:32which is drug smuggling,
33:33so now you're a drug smuggler.
33:34A family returning from Mexico
33:36has been detained
33:37after 100 prescription
33:39anti-anxiety pills
33:40were found hidden
33:41in a different bottle.
33:45It's an offense
33:46which could be punishable
33:48by a year in jail.
33:49When we checked
33:50the lady's purse,
33:52we ended up finding
33:53inside of a pack
33:54of antibiotic
33:54there was Xanax
33:55that was hidden inside.
33:57The young man
33:58has taken claim for it,
34:00saying it was his,
34:01so we're just
34:02trying to analyze
34:03the situation
34:03as it keeps going.
34:05Officer Terrio
34:06suspects the bottles
34:07were switched
34:08to enable the young man
34:09to cross with more meds
34:11than permitted.
34:12You guys knew
34:12you couldn't bring
34:13more than one, right?
34:14Well, then why was it in there?
34:15I have no idea.
34:16You don't know
34:17why it's in there?
34:17No, he just gave us a bag.
34:19Bottle of Z-Pak
34:20and it's a surprise inside.
34:20No, he just gave us a bag
34:21and says,
34:22here you go,
34:23put it in his bag.
34:23We see this every single day
34:24that people put it
34:25in the wrong medication bottle.
34:27The family claims
34:28the pharmacy put
34:29the extra Xanax pills
34:30in their bags
34:31without their knowledge,
34:32but officers are skeptical.
34:35Just because they sell it
34:36on the shelf over there
34:37on the counter,
34:38that doesn't make it okay.
34:40Medication coming out
34:41in Mexico,
34:42it's not FDA approved.
34:43A lot of times
34:44it's laced with fentanyl.
34:45Yeah.
34:46There's a good chance
34:48you'll be arrested
34:49and it'll be a felony.
34:51Whoever's that is,
34:52is pregnant
34:52or not in jail.
34:54The son's mislabeled bottle
34:55could put him
34:56in serious risk
34:58of prison time.
34:59Officers decide
35:00on a pat-down
35:01to establish
35:02if he's smuggling
35:03anything else.
35:04Wait, go ahead,
35:04take off your watch,
35:05leave it on the table
35:06for me.
35:07What about your chain?
35:08Can you take that
35:08off for me too, please?
35:10He's only 20,
35:11you know,
35:11they act like
35:13he's a good kid.
35:14I'm being very lucky.
35:15Come on, back up.
35:16Family is a good kid.
35:17He's a nice boy.
35:18He is a very nice boy.
35:19Come on, man.
35:20I'll put on to John.
35:22The pat-down
35:23finds no other contraband.
35:25Thank you, sir.
35:26Yeah, no problem.
35:31Leaving officers
35:31with a decision to make.
35:33You're taking claim
35:34for that?
35:35Yes, ma'am.
35:35Okay, can I talk
35:36to you for a minute?
35:37Right over here?
35:38Okay.
35:41Because you don't
35:42have any prior offenses,
35:43I'm going to let you
35:44just return it to Mexico
35:45and not get arrested today.
35:47Are we okay with that?
35:48Yeah.
35:49Okay, you are
35:49going to be checked
35:50every time you come in now.
35:51For how long
35:51we think is necessary.
35:54I don't even care.
35:55You didn't do a better thing.
35:56You got a job to do.
35:57I got a job.
35:58Okay.
35:58My job is to stay clean.
36:00Your job is to take
36:01care of them bad guys.
36:02Okay.
36:03Okay?
36:03So let's do
36:04what you got to do.
36:05Okay, we're just going
36:05to have you return it
36:06to Mexico.
36:09The young man
36:10has avoided
36:11a penalty this time.
36:12This is the
36:13get out of jail
36:13free card for today.
36:15And once he's disposed
36:17of the excess pills
36:18in Mexico,
36:19they're all free to go.
36:21Thank you, honey.
36:22Of course.
36:25Hopefully this was
36:25a wake-up call
36:26and he'll learn
36:27his lesson
36:27not to smuggle
36:28scheduled medications.
36:31It's just another
36:32Saturday in Progresso.
36:47In Eagle Pass,
36:49an inspection
36:50of a convoy
36:51of two trailers
37:01has uncovered
37:02suspected ammunition
37:03and a firearm
37:04hidden inside
37:06two car jump starters.
37:08There you go.
37:09The holy grail.
37:13The driver responsible
37:14is a courier
37:15who claims the trailer
37:17was preloaded
37:18and has no knowledge
37:19of the contents.
37:20We did some queries
37:21on the guy,
37:22no priors.
37:24Usually that's good
37:24for them.
37:26HSI will come in
37:26and do their investigation
37:27and then we'll find out
37:29what they want to do
37:29with him.
37:33While he's interviewed
37:34by Homeland Security
37:36Investigations,
37:37the packages are sent
37:39for further inspection.
38:02Okay, so we have 100 rounds
38:05of rifle ammunition.
38:07100 rounds of 45-bottle
38:11and then we have 200 rounds
38:15of 9mm
38:16and another 40 rounds
38:18of rifle ammunition.
38:24What's that, Glock?
38:259mm.
38:37We do have to put
38:39an appraised value
38:39so what we do is
38:40we look them up
38:41on the internet
38:42and see how much
38:42they're valued at.
38:43I think the most expensive box
38:45was like $76
38:47so $500 worth
38:49of ammunition.
38:50They'll probably double
38:51the price in Mexico.
38:56The handgun is checked
38:57against a law enforcement
38:59database.
39:01We just need to run
39:02the gun to make sure
39:03it's not stolen.
39:05If it is,
39:05then you will more
39:07than likely go to jail.
39:09Being caught
39:10in possession
39:10of a stolen firearm
39:11in the U.S.
39:13can lead to
39:13a 10-year imprisonment.
39:16And I think
39:17that's going to be
39:19negative.
39:20It has no hits
39:23for it being stolen.
39:24A clean gun
39:25is good news
39:26for the courier
39:28who has also
39:29cooperated fully
39:30with the interviewer.
39:32The driver was
39:33pretty straight up.
39:34He gave us
39:34the information
39:35we needed
39:35to look further
39:37into the investigation
39:39on where the gun
39:41and the ammo
39:42are coming from.
39:42So we're pretty happy
39:44with the outcome of it.
39:46The driver,
39:47it was his first offense
39:48so our supervisor
39:49decided to let him
39:51go this time.
39:52He got lucky today
39:53so he gets to walk.
39:59He may think twice
40:00about carrying
40:01unknown cargo
40:02in the future.
40:08If he's caught
40:09transporting
40:10illicit goods again,
40:11the courier
40:12could be charged
40:13up to $5,000,
40:15have his vehicle seized,
40:16or face jail time.
40:19You know,
40:20it's weapons
40:20and ammo
40:21that we got
40:22off the street
40:22so we're pretty happy.
40:24It just helps
40:25our counterparts
40:26over there in Mexico
40:27take down some weapons,
40:29take down some ammo
40:29that, you know,
40:30could save lives
40:31over there.
40:32So the total,
40:33it ended up being
40:34one Glock,
40:3543,
40:36two magazines,
40:38and 440 rounds
40:40of assorted ammunition.
40:42A pretty good lick
40:43for today.
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