Original subtitles

The Ambassador Bridge in Detroit.

21,000 tons of steel separating the U.S. and Canada.

Have a good day.

Customs and Border Protection officers here conduct vehicle checks 24 hours a

day.

But when a car suddenly U-turns and tries to speed away...

Officers suspect the driver is trying to avoid inspection and immediately move to

intercept him.

The man's daughter is taken care of by officers while he is detained and

searched.

Officers suspect the man may have something to hide.

I just got on the wrong turn.

Officers soon discover he is carrying thousands of dollars in cash.

What's all the money for?

I came out with $4,500.

For the stash of what looks like cannabis.

We found something.

Mike, Mike.

We're going to be taken to jail.

We have to do what we have to do.

The Progreso International Bridge.

It's a popular crossing for Americans who head to Mexico in search of

discounted medicine.

Y'all bringing back anything?

Any medication, alcohol, cigarettes?

That's the only medication you have?

All right.

Y'all have a good day, guys.

With medications in Mexico up to 70% cheaper than in the U.S., this bridge is

also a target for pill smugglers.

A lot of people going for medication, people trying to lie, for whatever

reason, there's always forever going to be good people and bad people.

Today, officers have stopped a traveler returning to the U.S.

with a bottle of the anti-anxiety medication Xanax.

He openly declared the pills, saying they help him in his career as a stand

-up comedian.

Tommy. Yes, sir.

What do you do up north?

Organize concert events.

I do get medication for anxiety, so being on stage, it does cause a lot of

anxiety. Nobody tells you how much the adrenaline dump is going to be after you

perform live.

According to him, had it prescribed here in the U.S., his prescription ran out,

his insurance ran out.

So he's going to Mexico to buy the medication.

Although the meds are within the legal limits,

Officer Ortega is concerned they might not be what they seem.

Usually the Xanax that we see is a white and purple box with a glass container.

The pills are white in color. This one seems to be a different box. It looks

kind of generic.

The pill itself is yellow, so that in itself is very different from what we

used to see.

It's estimated that more than half of all prescription medication pills sold

in Mexico are counterfeit and often dangerous.

Officer Ortega decides to conduct a chemical test.

Here we have half of one of the pills. We're going to go ahead and swab the

pill, put it in a little tube with a liquid, and then find out if it's going

to be positive or not.

The color of the tablet suggests they may be fentanyl.

a synthetic pain reliever that is 50 times more potent than heroin.

It's increasingly manufactured illegally by the Mexican cartels and clandestine

laboratories.

Go ahead and dip our testing strip into the solution.

Positive, we want to see one line. If it's negative, we're going to have two

red lines.

We're looking at a positive test for fentanyl.

In Detroit, officers

have apprehended a driver after he attempted a U-turn at an

international border checkpoint.

The man is from Detroit and claims he took the wrong exit.

But he's been found carrying thousands of dollars in cash and a bag full of

what looks like cannabis.

The man claims the cash is to pay for a new car.

But officers need to make sure the money isn't profits from illegal activity.

I'm not doing anything, bro. I worked a job. I cut hair for a living, bro. I'm

not doing nothing, bro.

While the CBP officer takes care of the man's daughter, attention turns to the

contents of the bag and the accompanying vape cartridges.

They found a bag with some green-leafing substances and some contraband in there,

but we're going to have to test it to confirm what the contraband actually is.

Some of these are going to be vape cartridges.

Officer Rizam tests the leaves.

It's going to be a positive.

We eat it.

The cannabis is in small pots, raising suspicions that they've been prepared to

be sold.

Be honest with me. Why is this package like this for selling?

No, hell no. That's because I smoke a certain amount a day because I got kids,

so I try to keep my smoking down to a minimum. Promise.

I'm not going to lie to you. This stuff is about from the dismissal.

I bought this Mother's Day and I was passing this stuff out on Mother's Day.

I really don't even know how to explain this stuff right now. It's not the best

look if it's in the car and your daughter's in the car with you.

Transporting cannabis across the federal border is a serious offense that

typically results in a fine of up to $1,000.

If officers believe the man is also selling it, he could be facing

prosecution and even jail.

In progresso, we're looking at a positive test for fentanyl.

A stand-up comic has been found carrying potentially lethal opioids packed into a

bottle of anti-anxiety medication.

But the man claims it was an honest mistake and that he bought the pills at

a pharmacy labeled as Xanax.

The issue that we have here is that he bought Xanax. We tested it.

ends up being something that's pretty deadly or very deadly, I should say, in

fentanyl.

A recent study of counterfeit meds being sold in Mexico found that 40% of fake

pills were laced with either meth, heroin, or fentanyl.

He's saying fentanyl, so obviously I don't want to die.

My doctor, he warned me about going out here and doing that, but I did not

follow the doctor's instructions. You know what I know best? I do not know

best.

Just two milligrams of

fentanyl is enough to kill an adult.

And the drugs believed to be behind a surge in accidental opioid overdoses in

the U.S.

It's been a close call for the man.

Since the man seems to have been unaware of what the pills contain, he won't face

any charges.

This time...

He's able to leave with no further action.

We didn't find any kind of bad intentions.

It was just a matter of him buying medication and it being something that

wasn't on the label.

He did say his doctor did warn him about going over there. That is some very good

advice for anyone else thinking about buying medication in Mexico.

You just don't know what you're getting there.

In Detroit.

Officers have detained a man who's carrying $4,000 in cash in a bag full of

cannabis.

We might look at it a little differently, but... But I'm not going to

lie to you.

Go outside and have a seat.

While the man has his fingerprints taken... I'm sorry, bro. I don't know

what's going on, but I got my daughter.

I'm scared, bro. I'm scared. I'm sorry, bro. I'm scared. I'd have been in a lot

of trouble in life.

Officer Rizam goes to get his phone, which he claims contains text messages

that prove the cash was to buy a car.

Allah has shown me these messages on his phone.

If he can justify that stuff to me, I'm going to let him keep his money.

If not, then we will seize it.

Show me those messages.

Messages are right here, sir.

The car is $3,000.

I've been looking at cars all day. I'm going to just show you that. I've been

looking at cars all day. This was the first.

Okay. So how'd you end up on the bridge?

Because I was trying to go to this one.

So this is the one you were going to today? I was on my way to right now,

yes, sir.

You can chill with your daughter, okay?

He was traveling with his daughter.

She was escorted in by an officer, but he's with her so that we don't have to

separate them the whole time.

The phone messages confirm the man is telling the truth about the cash.

He's a barber and does tattoos for work.

He was going to buy a car. He's been saving money to buy a car for a while.

He showed me messages that he is actually going to buy a car today.

I think he's okay to keep his money.

Okay, so what you're saying is the money is not... No, no.

I'm going to let him keep his money. Okay.

All right, cool.

I believe him.

I get it.

Life's tough. He says he's a single father of four.

I'm going to let him keep his money.

I'm not going to seize his money today.

But there is still the matter of the cannabis.

When you crossed today, did you actually get to Canada or did you turn around

before that?

I made it, like, almost down.

The man has had a lucky escape.

Had he crossed the border, He could have faced a $1,000 fine for carrying the

cannabis.

Because he got up to the top of the bridge and realized he was on the wrong

spot, he made a U-turn and came back down and saw us.

We can't charge him a penalty today.

You're free to go. Your car's parked outside.

The keys are in there. We'll be jumping and just drive out of here, okay?

Anytime you see a Canadian flag on a sign, don't turn that way now, okay?

All right, man. Take care. Go back on that car.

Happens every day. People take that wrong turn. They call the dreaded

Detroit turn, so...

you hit that wrong ramp you end up on top of the bridge you got to come back

and see uh unfortunately

In Eagle Path, Texas, CBP officers check every traveler crossing into the U.S.

This is primary. I'm just getting a feel for the travelers that are coming in

from the Mexican side. Just kind of...

Sending out little feelers to see if I want to maybe send one back to try to

ask more questions or maybe check the vehicle or bag.

Back, yeah.

This afternoon, a traveler isn't happy about being selected for an X-ray

because he says his vehicle's been inspected once already today on his way

to Mexico.

This vehicle was returned from Mexico, man.

He's claiming that it was inspected by our outbound officers, but he's lying.

I mean, I'm on that team. They didn't stop him, man.

Officer Fravel double-checks with his team.

We have a Mazda here, bro, that claims to be inspected by you guys.

All right, just text me, bro.

Negative.

The negative's gone.

The X-ray doesn't flag anything suspicious.

But officers still have concerns.

We just spoke to our outbound officer that's on duty right now.

The individual is not inspected outbound like I suspected.

So the subject is lying. He's clearly hiding something.

Suspicious the man may be carrying illicit goods, Officer Fravel begins a

search of his car.

The pipe didn't smoke crack or mess.

The man is immediately detained.

And the K-9 unit arrives to search the car.

He had a crack pipe, dude.

Where? Under the fender. He just pulled it back. It was in a bag.

It's one of two things.

He's got cracked or he's got money concealed in a compartment in the

vehicle. I'm not a betting man, but I put money on it, dude.

In the past decade, the number of people stopped while trying to enter the U.S.

using someone else's document has increased by nearly 20%.

Many of those are

children.

Hi, guys. How many are traveling?

With adult family members using legal documents of other minors to get their

kids over the border to live illegally in the U.S.

CBP officers are always on the lookout for any irregularities.

In Laredo, Officer Rodriguez has apprehended a woman crossing into the U

.S. from Mexico.

The woman is traveling with a young boy.

who she alleges is her son.

But his passport photo is when he was a baby, and she claims she has no other

documentation to prove they're related.

This mother had no documents on the kid, no birth

certificate, no nothing.

We have no crossings on the kid as well, so that's, you know, some of the red

flags that we look into.

Officers need to be sure that the child really is hers and that she's not

smuggling a different boy into the U.S. using her own child's passport.

Unconvinced by the woman's claim that the child's documents have been stolen,

Officer Rodriguez talks to the boy.

How old are you?

Four. Four? Who is she?

My mom. Your mom?

Okay.

Anyone can say this is my son. They get the information synchronized with the

children, and that's the way they sometimes get away with it.

Officer Rodriguez phones Child Protection Services to see if they have

up-to-date photos of the child on file.

And he makes a startling discovery.

There was a missing child report.

It's on the child.

The boy has been reported as missing.

At the Camino Real bridge.

A man's been detained after a pipe was found in his car.

He had a crack pipe, dude. Under the center. He pulled it back and was in a

bag.

Concerned the man could also be hiding narcotics, officers carry out a canine

search.

Nothing negative?

No.

Anything else?

No. It's kind of odd.

Did you pat him down already, Mike?

Although the man claims the car belongs to his friend

and had no idea the drug paraphernalia was there, the pipe is checked for any

residue.

White powder.

It's just residue. I don't see any actual substance in there.

So we're going to have to scratch it off to test it.

Officers suspect the pipe could have been used to smoke crack cocaine or

methamphetamine, both strictly prohibited from being carried over the

border.

Looks black inside.

It might be some other drug.

To confirm exactly what the substance is, officers use the laser testing

device.

That's a positive for meth.

Meth is a highly addictive stimulant narcotic, responsible for 35,000 deaths

in the U.S. every year.

Though meth has likely been smoked in the vehicle at some point, the car is

otherwise clean.

Officers must now determine what to do with the driver.

The gentleman did seem...

There were some tears in his eyes when we did put him in the cell and stuff

like that.

However, there's no way to say if it's genuine or not.

Since the pipe contained only a small amount of residue and the car isn't his,

the decision is made to let him go.

Next time, he won't be so lucky.

We did notify him that in the future if we did catch him with anything else,

he's going to be subject to being arrested or given a penalty.

at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge in Texas.

How old are you?

Four. Four? Who is she?

My mom. Your mom?

Okay.

Officers have detained a woman traveling with a child who she claims is her son,

but has no up-to-date documents to prove it.

And now to complicate matters, officers have also discovered that her son has

been reported as missing.

The woman

admits the boy was previously referred to Child Protective Services.

but says the case was closed and has no idea why there's a missing person

report.

Officers cannot release the mother and child unless she can prove the boy is

hers and establish why he's been reported missing.

She said that she has no idea who put the hit.

Honestly, we have no way to figure out either.

I don't know if it's maybe with CPS. She said that she has some history with CPS,

but apparently it was case closed.

As the officers dig deeper into the case, the

woman finds some documentation on her phone.

and shows photos of the boy with her throughout his life.

Officer Rodriguez speaks to Child Protective Services again.

I have a missing child.

It's able to provide more information about the missing child report and

confirms it relates to a custody dispute which has since been dropped.

Child Protective Services were able to get documents and that mom has full

custody of the son.

So it is his mom. They're both admissible. They're both U.S. citizens,

and they're good to go.

The records also include an up-to-date photo, which matches the boy.

Now satisfied the woman's story checks out, officers could admit both mother

and child into the U.S.

The woman isn't happy about her journey being delayed.

But with over 100,000 children illegally crossing the border each year, every

case must be investigated.

We're going to make sure we annotate everything that happened, document all

the facts, and make sure that whatever happens next time she travels, that it

doesn't happen again.

The San Ysidro Port of Entry is the busiest land port in the Western

Hemisphere.

Are you bringing anything back with you? No, that's it.

Okay, release, release track.

Fruit, alcohol, tobacco?

No? Okay.

CBP officers are always on the lookout for people carrying prohibited items or

failing to declare excess goods.

Today, One U.S. citizen's shopping trip over the border from Tijuana has caught

the attention of Officer Martinez.

He has too many medicines, just over-the-counter medicine for headaches

and colds and such.

He says that he lives in Orange County, and so he brings them all in because he

doesn't come here that often.

The man only lives two hours away and has tried to cross with dozens of boxes

of medication and vitamins.

If they rather have it seized, it'll at least be easier to carry.

Next time, I don't bring none of that.

Every traveler crossing the border is allowed $800 worth of duty-free

medication.

But it's clear this man is well over the threshold.

If it was just for him, then he could take it with him. But unfortunately, you

can see that he is going to end up selling it.

It's considered commercial quantity.

Without health insurance.

2.3 million Americans buy their meds from other countries, and many buy it on

the black market.

Pills bought in bulk like this from Mexico could sell for double their price

in the U.S.

I don't know what the big deal is with this over-the-counter medication.

I come every month, you know. Now they're making it big so they can seize

it.

The man has been caught with undeclared medication in the past, but Officer

Martinez is still prepared to give him a chance.

We are sending him back to Mexico where he could leave some and still take a

personal amount with him.

Despite the offer, the man is refusing to dispose of the excess medication.

He's upset and pretty much doesn't believe it's fair.

They can seize it or, you know, give me a ticket for that and we go to court

because I don't think it's right.

He may now be looking at a fine for thousands of dollars.

if he refuses to reduce the amount he's carrying.

The Camino Real bridge links the cities of Eagle Pass and Texas with Piedras

Negras and Mexico.

It's a hub for smuggling in both directions.

The usual trends that we look for, inbound is going to be narcotics.

Outbound, our ATC guys are looking for something a little bit different.

In Mexico, gun ownership is heavily regulated, making this a prime route for

the smuggling of weapons from the U.S.

We do see narcotics every once in a while. Going outbound towards Mexico,

we're going to be looking for firearms, ammunitions.

That's what our op-on guys are going to be looking for.

It's 9.30 in the evening, and the bus heading into Mexico has arrived at the

bridge.

The

bus's

destination is the city of Zacatecas.

Currently, a focal point for intense cartel activity.

Officers Ruiz and Fravel carry out a 100% check.

All 50 passengers are offloaded, along with their luggage.

A canine unit is brought in to check the bags.

The traveler and the bus interior.

The dog doesn't detect any contraband.

But to be sure, each item of luggage is put through an x-ray scanner.

As he watches, the driver of the bus appears nervous.

The X-ray has flagged what looks like a pistol hidden inside a box.

The officers question the driver.

The driver

says he was

given the box to deliver to Mexico.

Officers take it away for inspection.

And right here It looks like

one pistol two magazines and some rounds

In San Diego, a

U.S. citizen traveling back into America has been caught carrying an

excessive amount of over-the-counter medication that he's failed to declare.

We are sending him back to Mexico, where he could leave some and still take a

personal amount with him. He's upset and pretty much doesn't believe it's fair.

Officer Martinez has told the man to reduce the amount of medication he has,

but he's refusing.

Give me a ticket for that and we go to court because I don't think it's right.

Instead, he's demanding to see his supervisor, who arrives to try and

resolve the issue.

We were going through these as well here. These are also medicine.

Yes, but like this one, I only got like one or two of these. He told me that

they're... Throw those away? I was like, no, I'm not throwing those away. Well,

let's read that. I'll work with you right now.

The man is attempting to cross with well over 50 boxes of medication.

I'm trying to make it work, but now it's like a big issue, you know?

And I'm not going to throw these. I need this one. Like, I'm a truck driver. I

put them in the truck.

You take them. It's like buying them. You take it every day.

None of the medications are prescription only.

But since there is at least $1,000 worth, It is considered a commercial

quantity.

I got six boxes, but I take these three right here.

They go less than a month, I take them.

That's why I was asking, what's the law? If I had 20 or 30 or 50, yeah, I

understand. It's like if I got six boxes of cereal, it's the same thing.

The commercial quantity refers to specifically what could a reasonable

amount be.

to a reasonable human being, basically.

It's in commercial import laws.

With the law explained to him, the man finally agrees to reduce the amount of

medication.

I threw some away there in the back, which I don't think is fair, but I was

like not trying to go back to Mexico, but now I'm like, man, do whatever you

got to do, and I don't think I bring anything legal.

Now all that remained, is to get rid of the excess goods.

But instead of throwing them in the trash, he chooses to donate them to

another traveler.

Offloading some of his medication means the man has escaped a fine.

This time.

Thank you.

He does cross often enough and has been in trouble before for bringing in too

much. Look it up before you travel.

See what you can and can't bring, how much you can bring of everything, so

that you don't have to get stopped by us.

I will see him again. I'm sure I will.

We'll see.

At the Camino Real bridge, officers Ruiz and Fravel are carrying out a 100%

search of a bus.

And they found a box containing a

pistol and ammunition.

It looks like one pistol, two magazines and some rounds.

Smuggling guns across the border carries heavy fines or even jail.

But the bus driver is claiming it was a courier delivery.

The weapon

has been dismantled by the smugglers in an

effort to conceal it.

It was likely destined for use by a cartel.

The hell can't you?

It could be that they were trying to conceal it a little bit better. They

thought maybe that we weren't going to find it if it was in pieces.

Yeah, I'm going to have to figure out how to put that together.

Come on, Kenny.

I know this goes in here.

We have these gone before, but...

Never disassemble like this.

The 9mm pistol can be bought for $1,000 in the U.S., but it's worth double that

on the black market in Mexico.

So the gun is complete. We were able to reassemble it, and everything seems to

be there.

The human cost of such a deadly weapon is not lost on Officer Ruiz.

We did find, along with the weapon and the two magazines, 39 rounds.

39 rounds is not something that somebody's going to be carrying with

them if they're not intended to shoot 39 rounds, right?

So that's potentially 39 people that can get injured.

Smuggling firearms across the border is a criminal offense.

The bus driver has some difficult questions to answer.

The box he picked up was picked up in Oklahoma.

He shouldn't be transporting unaccompanied items for the bus company.

So he is going to be interviewed and more than likely be held liable for

whatever we found.

The passengers will have to wait for another bus since the driver will be

detained. Any firearm that we take out of the hands of somebody that can

potentially do harm to civilians or anybody, it's very important for us to

take it off the streets. We don't know what this weapon was intended to do in

Mexico. It's a very concealable weapon.

It can fit very comfortably underneath somebody's clothes and potentially do

some harm to somebody.