Original subtitles

Anything to declare today?

The Camino Real International Bridge is a favored route for Mexican drug cartels

who conceal their deadly product in all types of vehicles.

Today, a truck heading to Houston, Texas, has been referred to secondary

for further inspection.

Vehicle secondary, lane five.

The driver has traveled from central Mexico.

claiming to be visiting a friend.

But he appeared nervous when questioned.

Officers decide to run the vehicle through the x-ray scanner.

Tires are good.

Feet are good.

What I can see is some rectangle.

Officer Carranco spots something unusual in the truck's fender.

Go ahead. The bad guys lost today.

The Mexican town of Nuevo Progreso attracts thousands of Americans every

year looking to buy cheap prescription medication.

Hello, ma'am. Hi, how are you? Good. What do we have?

Medicine. What kind of medicine?

It's also a magnet for smugglers attempting to bring illegal meds into

the U.S.

Y'all bring anything back today?

What'd y'all go to Mexico for?

For the dentist.

For the dentist?

On the Mexican side of Nuevo Progreso, it's a lot of medication.

Medication everywhere you go, and it's for a variety of things.

Anywhere from even diet pills, we get some Xanax, we get a lot of things that

are controlled, antibiotics, ibuprofen, things like that. We want to keep those

controlled substances off the streets as much as possible.

Today,

two women from Houston, Texas, have been caught attempting to smuggle eight packs

of a weight loss drug only intended for sale in Mexico, hidden in the bottom of

their purses.

The women say they traveled to Mexico for cosmetic procedures.

They didn't declare the meds because they were worried they'd be seized.

You understand what's going on, right? Yeah.

We did. You understand why we're seizing the medication?

Being scared that we're going to take it away. But one of them was mine before I

got here.

But being scared that we're going to take it away is not...

While many weight loss drugs containing the active ingredient Phentermine are

controlled in the U.S., this one isn't approved for use in the country.

I am telling you, I had a prescription. I had some.

No.

I mean, I haven't taken it for like years.

But anyway, I don't know if those were the ones.

No.

No.

That's not what I'm saying.

I don't even know what Axiom is.

Well,

I'm trying to lose some weight.

With their story falling apart, the women admit they were tempted by street

vendors selling cheap diet pills.

Although the women claim it was an innocent mistake, a search of their car

has revealed even more controlled meth, including several boxes of a well-known

sleeping medication, which requires a prescription.

Whatever is controlled, we put here. Whatever is not controlled, we put over

here. Anything controlled, you need to have a U.S. prescription to import it

into the country. They don't have any valid U.S. prescription.

It's not allowed into the U.S.

The unlikely smugglers are in serious trouble.

They could go to jail if they decide to prosecute them. We're going to have to

find out. But they're not going to walk away here.

Hola, good morning, ma'am.

In Eagle Pass, officers suspect a pickup may be carrying

narcotics hidden inside the bodywork.

What I can see is some rectangle or square-legged figures.

The team brings in the K-9 unit to sweep the vehicle.

soon alert to a suspicious scent.

We're going to go ahead and send it to the back to the lift, away from the

public, and we're going to go ahead and try to find the secret compartment, take

the fenders off, and see what we find in this vehicle.

Officers get to work on both sides of the truck.

Bingo!

Winner, winner.

Hidden beneath false plates wedged above the wheel arches are multiple packages.

The driver is immediately detained for questioning, while the team begins the

extraction.

One more inside.

But the final packages are the hardest to remove.

There's a package that seems to be stuck.

There you go.

It's very difficult to sometimes get these packages out because they're

covered in grease.

Put your hand in there.

Got it?

The team has managed to recover 16 packages.

And so it's a good day when we find our dope.

Now we need to take the packages inside the seizure room, and we need to open

them up to see what's up in their cardiovascular system.

In Progreso, two women have been detained on suspicion of smuggling

prescription medication across the border.

I mean, I have gotten the diet pills before, but I didn't know it was

illegal.

As well as eight boxes of illegal Mexican diet pills in their bags,

several bottles of prescription-only sleeping tablets have been found hidden

under the seats of their car.

The women have tried to smuggle a total of over 500 pills.

This amount of controlled substances is enough to warrant a serious charge.

Yes, in a purse, in the bottom of the purse.

So right now we contacted Homeland Security Investigations. They'll give us

a call back and advise what the United States attorney recommends.

The state's attorney's office decides to proceed with prosecution.

The reality of their situation is becoming clear.

Are we going to be put in jail tonight?

Yes, ma'am. I'm going to be charged with possession of a petrol substance.

Okay. And we're going to go to the Edinburgh office right now for

processing. And then from there, we're going to be sent to the Adago County

jail.

Okay. The women will now be handed over to state troopers.

All right. So what I'm going to ask you to do is turn around and put your hands

behind your back.

They're going to go in for the possession of the fentermine and

possession of the Ambien.

But in the case of these two females, they attempted to smuggle it in. So now

there's going to be charges, criminal charges.

I'm still glad to keep us safe.

Even though I was stupid.

Their attempt to sneak controlled medications across the border could see

the French serving.

Of the two years behind bars.

Back in Eagle Park.

Bingo!

Winner, winner.

Officers have recovered 16 packages of suspected narcotics.

hidden deep inside the fenders of the truck.

In the seizure room, a chemical testing kit will confirm what the substance is.

If you can see there, right there on the test kit, it shows the separation

between the blue and the pink.

There's a line there that separates it. It means that it's positive for cocaine.

With an estimated 30,000 people dying in the U.S. every year from the effects of

cocaine abuse, it's a significant seizure.

We extracted a total of 16 packages from the truck. It came out to 16.7 kids.

Today, officers have intercepted half a million dollars worth of the drug that

will now be impounded and destroyed.

The driver of the truck will be questioned by Homeland Security

investigations.

If he's involved, he's looking at a substantial prison sentence.

It was a good load.

Do you feel excited whenever you get the opportunity to get these drugs from the

streets that destroy thousands of lives?

Every year, almost half a million agricultural inspections are carried out

at the United States border.

Any fruits, plants, seeds, vegetables?

No, that's fine.

It's the job of agricultural specialists to ensure no one brings anything into

the U.S., which could spread invasive species or disease.

I am originally from McAllen, Texas.

40956. I've been an agricultural specialist for two years.

It's really fun.

What we do is we pick up fruits,

meat, plants, seeds.

People are crossing.

They're mostly nice people, but unfortunately, we have to do what we

have to do.

Today. A man driving from Mexico to visit family in Houston, Texas, has been

stopped after officers noticed his truck is heavily packed with mixed goods.

Mixed loads this size often contain prohibited agricultural items.

They pack everything, but the kitchens don't.

See, so this is a type of cactus.

Through the common, this is a prohibited cactus.

A bag of mangoes also catches her eye.

Even though there is no seed present, there still could be the fruit fly.

That's why mangoes can't come in from Mexico.

So this is why we seize this.

Fruit flies pose a significant threat to U.S. farmers because they can destroy

entire crops.

The man's claim that he's not carrying any fresh produce is already unraveling.

This is the yucca flower found in the palm.

This is only allowed to come in if it's cooked.

Meanwhile, a large bundle of sugar cane, which can contain harmful pesticides, is

another red flag.

The sugar cane nodes are only allowed to come in if they are cut and peeled.

So we will be picking up that.

But subject didn't declare it, so now I'm going to go ahead and check to see

if... Possibly this could be a penalty.

Despite claiming just to be visiting family, agricultural specialist Raina

suspects this driver is one of the many people who crossed the border to sell

their goods in the U.S.

They usually have names, numbers, there's a list, how the people that

they're bringing stuff for.

And sometimes, you know, people do bring this across to try to make a profit.

For carrying so many illicit items, the driver could be facing a heavy fine.

But a

suitcase full of seeds

reveals something even more concerning.

This is all medication, but it was hidden under the pumpkin seeds.

The bridges of the southern border are a commonly used route in and out of the U

.S. for kidnappers and human traffickers.

Tonight at Eagle Pass, a 17-year-old from Texas has been referred to

secondary inspection.

She has traveled alone from Mexico and appears distressed.

We pretty much treated like, you know, high risk. We're not sure what the story

is yet. Maybe she was...

You know, abducted from somebody here in the U.S., you know, we'll go ahead and

make sure she is in good apparent health.

Whenever a minor arrives unaccompanied at the border, officers investigate.

What was the purpose of your travel in Mexico?

I was not, I didn't want to be over there. I was forced to go over there.

You were forced to go over there?

Yes. Who were you with, ma'am?

How long were you in Mexico?

I think four or five days.

Five days?

And they took you from San Antonio?

Yes.

Criminal gangs have been known to abduct vulnerable people to use as drug

couriers.

The teenager claims she was forced to travel to Mexico, suggesting she could

be one of their victims, especially because it's the second time she's

crossed this week.

So you were here Saturday, and then you went back?

Saturday I came over here to Mexico.

But you crossed over. Who did you cross over with?

Because they sent you in here also?

And you went back with them?

What was the purpose of you going back?

I didn't want to. I had to go with them.

Why didn't you say anything when you were here?

Because I was too scared to say anything.

The teenager says that her so-called friends tried to stop her from

contacting her parents.

She said that she was forced to go with them back to Mexico.

That's why she was over there, that they stole her phone, they threw her phone in

the river, and now she was able to get away from them, and she made it this

way.

Taking a person's phone is a common tactic kidnappers use to isolate their

victims. Thank you for contacting the Mavericks, sir.

Okay.

Officer Morales calls local police to see if they have any further

information.

Hi, good afternoon. This is Officer Melissa Cullen here from Bridge 2.

I'm by herself walking.

Okay, ma'am. I appreciate it. Thank you.

It turns out the teenager's family reported her missing from her home

in Texas three days ago.

But something about her story isn't ringing true for Officer Morales.

From my point of view, the way I'm seeing her, she doesn't look like she's

been, you know, tied down or anything like that. Like, you know, in some cases

when they are kidnapped, you know, they come in, you know, worst standards that

she's in right now. But she is claiming that she was in Mexico by force. So how

true that is, we're not sure.

In Brownsville, Texas.

Anything to declare?

Nope. All right, no alcohol, tobacco, cigars, food, nothing like that?

All right.

Officers are searching a truck from Mexico, which is carrying prohibited

agricultural products.

So this is a type of cactus.

It's really common. This is a prohibited cactus.

Corn. Pumpkin seed.

But agricultural specialist Raina has also uncovered a large amount of

medication.

containing steroids.

I wouldn't call it personal. The driver has some serious questions to answer.

He says that they're taking medications to family members that are already here

in the United States.

With meds significantly cheaper south of the border, agricultural specialist

Reina suspects the driver has brought them in bulk to sell in the U.S.

But without solid proof, it's up to the customs team to determine the next

steps. Is this all you guys have, the only location of it?

That's all we have.

While they decide on a course of action for the quantity of meth, the fresh

produce will be seized.

The reason why we seize the items is because it's really important to protect

America's agriculture because we do grow citrus, we grow other stuff here that we

need to protect from bringing pests from other countries.

If you don't declare and we find stuff like this, we can give you a penalty. It

can go all the way up to $1,000.

I think this is the only thing that's leaking.

While the produce is taken to be incinerated, customs comes to a decision

on the meds.

Since this is his first offense, the driver will be spared a penalty for the

man.

But he is given a $300 fine for bringing in fresh produce.

We did give him a warning today since it was his first time.

Also did provide him with an agriculture list of the stuff that is permitted and

the stuff that is prohibited from crossing.

So he was pretty happy with that. He did leave to Houston now, a happy camper.

In Eagle Pass, a 17-year-old claimed she was abducted and taken to Mexico before

escaping back to the U.S. border.

While she was gone, her family filed a missing persons report.

The only thing she heard about her friends was names, you know, but, I

mean, I don't know how true that is.

But with no evidence to corroborate her story, Officer Morella suspects the

teenager simply went partying in Mexico without telling her parents.

My opinion, it happens all the time, you know, they run out of money, they have

nowhere to go no more, so they're just, you know, now coming back by themselves.

So I called Maverick County.

They said they're going to send a deputy down here to see if the parents can

actually come pick her up.

Officers want to return the teen to her family as soon as possible.

All right, ma'am. I appreciate that. Thank you.

Okay, bye-bye.

Family is coming from San Antonio.

With her mom on the way, the girl decides to come clean.

As officers suspected, she wasn't abducted,

but ran away with two school friends.

Only once in Mexico.

they began to bully her i was over here like trying to be like cool like damn

trying to get tattoos like this i was like why the hell am i trying to fit in

i'm like i'm over here i'm over here trying to get a high school degree i'm

supposed to graduate next year but i'm over here like giving school not passing

my classes where did they do everything they were going to turn on you no i

didn't know they were going to turn on me until they turned on me So what are

your thoughts now? Like, going back to school to finish up?

Yeah. You don't want to be hanging out again. I realized I was like, my

family's more important than all of that.

After two hours in secondary inspection, the teenager's relieved mom arrives to

take her home.

Well, it's such a song, you know. You have kids of your own, and you just

wouldn't want your kids to run off with anybody and not know of them.

Thank you.

Thank you. Have a good evening.

So it is a good outcome that she's back in the U.S. You know, hopefully, you

know, it's a lesson learned. You know, the people that she's been hanging out

with, she does seem like she, you know, she ran out of money.

She wants to come back home to her family.

The teenager's missing persons file can now be closed.

Luckily, she won't face any charges for giving law enforcement the runaround.

At the southern border.

Can you open the glove box for me, please?

Criminal gangs are always looking for ways to traffic contraband into the U.S.

Whether concealed inside private vehicles or smuggled in personal

belongings.

We always have to stay, like, vigilant, whether it's here in lane or in

secondary.

You can't let your guard down, you know, because you're dealing with the public.

A lot of the people, they're good people, but at the end of the day, that

1%, 2%, we don't really know who they are or what their goal is.

In Laredo, officers have stopped a couple traveling by

bus from Mexico to Houston, Texas, carrying three suitcases.

When I asked about what they were bringing into the United States, I

said... They named several things under two suitcases. When I asked about the

third suitcase, they claimed they didn't know what was in there. The couple

claims a relative asked them to take the suitcase to a man named Angel.

Concerned there may be contraband inside,

Officer Zuniga conducts a search and finds two T-shirts.

It's a logo for Castel del Este.

The cartel logo and name on the T-shirt is an immediate red flag for the team.

Officers suspect Angel could be a cartel member based in Houston, a hub for

cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine distribution.

to America's East Coast.

It's not unusual for the cartels to exploit older travelers to smuggle

items.

But if a further search of the suitcase reveals contraband, it'll be the couple

that pays the price.

Every year, Drug gangs smuggle up to $30 billion out of the U.S.

to fund their operations.

Good morning, sir. How are you?

Good. Where are we all headed today?

In Eagle Path.

You open the trunk, please?

Thank you.

Officers have stopped the driver of a pickup towing an SUV, who is believed to

have connections to cartel money smuggling.

While he is detained, the team searches the vehicles.

We're going to x-ray every single item that he has in the pickup.

We're also looking for weapons, ammunition, things of that sort.

As each box is passed through the x-ray, Officer Ruiz and the team check the

pickup's cabin.

We found something.

In the glove compartment, They spot a ledger containing a list of recent cash

transactions.

948K? Oh, that's what the paper says.

But he has transactions for a whole bunch of other ones.

136, 212, 320.

The ledger appears to confirm that the driver is a cartel cash courier.

948,000?

Money entering or leaving the U.S. in excess of $10,000 must be declared.

But these transactions total nearly a million dollars.

Attention now turns to the SUV.

To sniff out any hidden money, officers deploy the canine.

If that car has a million dollars in it, I need an alert.

I'd be upset.

The dog has picked up a set.

The team must now conduct a thorough search of the vehicle.

Can you see back there?

Uh-oh.

Concealed behind a panel.

Right there? Right there? Yeah.

They find a package.

Mike, Mike. Go ahead.

It's about the... It is.

In Laredo, officers have found cartel-related items in the luggage of

two bus passengers.

The couple

insists they were asked by a relative to deliver the suitcase to a man in

Houston. But officers suspect there could be contraband hidden inside.

Dissolving methamphetamine in liquid is a common tactic of the cartel.

This time,

the bottle and the bag are clear.

Officers now turn their attention to the cartel T-shirt.

You haven't heard of a real one? I think it's just a group of guys hanging out.

I've never heard of a cartel.

A cartel doesn't even exist.

It's probably a small group of people replicating what a cartel is or

trying to be something they're not.

With nothing found, the team decides to release the couple.

Having learned a valuable lesson, the couple can now continue their journey to

Houston.

Inigo Pan.

Officers have detained a driver they suspect is attempting to smuggle a large

amount of cash into Mexico.

A search has revealed a package thought to contain at least some of the money

hidden in a door panel.

The team has also found more cash concealed in household containers and

packaging. These people try to throw us off our game, right? So they'll hide it

within items that we wouldn't normally check.

especially when somebody's trying to conceal money inside the containers as

well. It's definitely not something that we come across when people are

legitimately trying to declare money.

The driver claims he earned the cash selling household goods, but officers

believe it's profits from the drug trade, being couriered back into Mexico

for a cartel.

Now we uploaded the vehicles. We're going to take both of them to the Z

portal just to make sure that they don't have any compartments or any other

hidden items.

Officer Flores begins scanning the pickup and the SUV on the trailer.

One thing that we're looking at is here would be like different spots with

different densities.

The pickup is clear.

Next, they run the SUV.

The scan reveals something else hidden.

Guided, is there anything in the back, behind the driver's seat?

There's a canister only in the back seat foam for tire cleaning.

With the vehicle search complete, the cash is counted.

So we're just confirming that that's the amount that he currently has?

Officers discover the driver was carrying almost $100,000, ten times the

amount of currency that must be declared.

which would have ended up back with the cartel.

Both the money and the vehicle will now be seized.

The way he had the money concealed, you know, the indicators are there that he's

definitely up to no good.

If found guilty of transporting undeclared cash across the border, the

man could be facing up to 10 years in prison.

The bad guys lost today.

Thank you.