01x06 - The Heat Is On

[bunniefuu]

Puerto Rico was the first entry port

into the U.S. from Latin America.

Stemming the flow of narcotics

is a constant battle.

They're frequently trafficked

onto the island aboard car ferries.

Okay, okay, we're with all the cars.

Tonight, Agent Gerardo is making his

way to the Ceiba ferry terminal

for the random stop search of traffic

about to arrive on the island.

In the next couple of minutes, we

should start moving towards the area.

It's a common tactic agents employ

to thwart any drugs

from coming in through this entry point.

We'll go slowly, okay? Slowly.

The drivers aren't moving yet.

The element of surprise is crucial,

preventing key-side spotters

from tipping off any mules on board.

Stop the cars right there,

top the cars there, otherwise.

They're trapped. They're trapped.

Police close off the port exit.

Yes, yes, yes.

Stop them there. Let's go.

Customs and Border Protection officers

deploy a canine

to sniff out anything ill*gal.

Let's go. Open up there, let's

check them all out with the dog.

Check them all.

Yes, check them all with the dog.

Special Agent Nicole, from

Homeland Security Investigations,

is watching carefully

to see how the dog reacts.

This canine is trained

to alert to narcotics.

So, if there's any type of residue

that came from a narcotic,

any type of drugs, heroin, cocaine,

marijuana, the dog will sit on it.

Before long, the canine

singles out a pickup truck.

Positive alert.

Alerting its handler

to the scent of drugs.

This is hot.

U.S. Customs!

They're non-compliant, non-compliant.

Go, go, go, go, go!

Off the southern coast of Florida

In the Florida Keys,

agents Dan, Alex, and Brittany

are part of a multi-agency search

for 11 undocumented migrants on the run.

Be advised, we do have a drone

getting ready to come out.

Border Patrol and Miami-Dade

drone will be there shortly.

They're at Black Point now.

While attempting ill*gal entry into

the U.S., their boat ran aground,

forcing them to scramble onto an

uninhabited island near Key Largo.

We had a migrant load

smuggle in last night

and beach their boat after a quick chase.

The migrants are somewhere

in the marsh right here.

We've got agents on the ground

tracking them right now.

We have a helicopter

and a fixed-wing aircraft above

trying to track the migrants through.

They were last sighted at midnight,

over nine hours ago.

Florida's dense mangroves

offer the ideal hiding place,

and air support is failing to detect

any sign of movement.

See, that's the only place

they could get to.

Still you got to go through there, so

they gotta be just laid up in there.

The boats patrolling the island's

perimeter can't get close enough

to spot anyone sheltering

near the shoreline.

It's hard for us to get to a lot of areas

because it's real, real shallow.

- How's it looking?

- Really shallow.

We got like three feet.

At 9:30 a.m., it's already

91 degrees Fahrenheit,

with 90 percent humidity.

The agents are concerned

about the migrants' welfare

in such hostile terrain.

Inside of the marsh area right here,

it's nothing but mosquitos, thick,

thick, coarse, dense vegetation.

I can imagine

what the migrants are going through,

they've been in here

for going on 10 hours, so

now is when a medical issue arises.

- Should we go out and go around?

- Yeah.

Hours ago, agents were deployed

to search on land

and are just now returning unsuccessful.

Their boat can't get to shore.

They must wade through the water.

They've been in the mangroves

searching for these migrants

for the last several hours.

They gotta come out

and get some water and cool off.

Their vessel commander briefs Dan

on the conditions on land.

Right now, man, it's mosquito infested.

- It's pretty hot.

- Right.

It's islands after islands.

Mangroves after mangroves.

- Mosquito after mosquito.

- Mosquito after mosquito.

You're gonna get tore up.

I'm surprised the migrants

haven't come out for help yet.

Yeah.

Unless they went in there

with supplies, which I doubt.

Now, 12 hours into the search,

the Jayhawk helicopter

circling the quay spots something.

- Ground unit zero, we got bodies.

- The migrants, right?

- Hey, they got the bodies. Yeah.

- They got the bodies?

A group of people appears to be

sheltering among the mangroves.

The position is going to be north,

two five, two two, five one.

After a prolonged exposure

to the island's harsh elements,

getting them to safety

is a matter of urgency.

Looks like a group of about five.

Do they look like they're inclined

to run away again?

Or like they're inclined to come out

to the water if we call for them?

Right now, they're huddled up

under one large tree.

- We'll see if we got any volunteers.

- I'll go, I'll go.

The agents prepare to head

into the muggy mangroves

to bring the migrants to safety.

One thousand miles southeast

in Puerto Rico.

Captain, this is U.S. Coastguard,

channel 16. How far are you, over?

Agents are responding

to a mayday radio call

from a jet boat out at sea.

I would say I am estimating

about four miles.

This is the U.S. coast guard, channel

16. Did you copy that, over?

10-4, over. We're heading that way.

The boat has sprung a leak.

Agent Justin and his team

head towards its location.

We got a call on channel 16,

vessel in distress

and they're taking on some water.

We're gonna go and try and assist,

try and give aid to the vessel.

- Hold on.

- I'm ready.

Onboard the vessel in distress

is a family of four

with two young children.

At the helm, the father

is keeping the agents updated

as the situation unfolds.

Are you taking water at this time, over?

We're actually taking water. I see a

crack and my automatic pump is off.

The leaking boat had traveled far

beyond Puerto Rico's sheltered bays,

when it got into trouble.

The seas are a lot bigger out here.

When you're in a 20,000 pound boat,

doing 40 nautical miles per hour,

rising four to six feet up in the air

and then slamming back down

into the water

It's like a car crash

every six seconds at 35 miles

an hour, hitting a freight train.

Four miles northeast of the coast,

Justin and the crew

spot the stricken boat.

- Captain! This is the boat.

- Yeah, that's it.

We're on scene

with the vessel in distress.

As the agents swing behind the stern,

they quickly notice

that it's sitting low in the water.

That is the boat.

They've got a crack in the hull,

so they're taking on water.

They still have some good free board

above the water line,

but it appears that they have no

overboard discharge

of any water coming out.

As well as the cracked hull,

the boat's onboard pump has failed,

meaning it can't offload

the water it's taking on.

The only way for the father

at the helm to keep it afloat

is to continue moving at speed.

What we don't want him to do

is we don't want him to stop,

because then they're just gonna sink.

In the Florida Keys

Agents have located

five of 11 undocumented migrants,

stranded on an uninhabited island

near Key Largo.

- Ground unit zero, we got bodies.

- The migrants, right?

Hey, they got the bodies. Yeah.

After over 12 hours of hiding

in the mangroves,

agents are concerned about their welfare.

Looks like a group of about five.

Do they look like they're inclined

to run away again?

Or like they're inclined to come out

to the water if we call for them?

Right now, they're huddled up

under one large tree.

With temperatures pushing one

hundred degrees and high humidity,

the heat exposure is creating

a real risk to their safety.

Without water,

you'll get dehydrated quick,

especially once you go inside

the brush area.

It'll be super hot in there.

Now, agents must endure

those same conditions

to undertake a rescue mission.

We are getting ready to go in.

Had to take off my vest

because it's super thick in there

when we walk through the mangroves.

There's nobody

gonna make it through unless we

we have to go light, and it's super hot.

Because the water is too shallow

to access by boat,

the agents wade to the island.

Once ashore, they begin heading

inland, guided by air support.

122, 153 north.

80-21-4, .06 west. Over.

- Got it?

- Loud and clear.

The migrants that were spotted

from the air are one mile away.

The almost impenetrable mangroves

make progress slow.

And the intense humidity forces

the agents to take frequent breaks

to avoid heat exhaustion.

We've been going through the mangroves.

The bugs are crazy out here.

And we're trying to get the

coordinates and to keep going.

All right.

North, 25.37541, break.

West, nearly 80.23449, how copy?

One hour into the search,

and agents spot something up ahead.

The team slowly moves in.

There, among the vegetation

five migrants hiding.

Open up there, let's check

them all out with the dog.

During a surprise stop and search

at the Ceiba ferry terminal

in Puerto Rico

Check them all.

Yes, check them all with the dog.

A canine has alerted its handler

to the scent of drugs

- This is hot.

- on a pickup truck

that's just arrived on a ferry.

She's marking the whole vehicle.

Please, sir, can you move

your truck over here, please?

The agents will now perform

a rigorous search of the vehicle.

Can you step out please?

First, they order the driver

to open up the flatbed.

Which is loaded with used car parts.

The driver is being compliant.

But when the search switches

to the cab, he steps in

and keeps

a close eye on the agents.

There's nothing on top of the spare,

yeah, I've checked.

So far, the search has revealed

nothing incriminating.

We are verifying the vehicle.

We're searching it all.

And as of right now,

it's a negative search.

But Gerardo suspects there may

still be something eluding them.

He redeploys the canine.

This time, the dog is more specific.

It appears to be picking up a scent

from the rear right-hand wheel.

Good girl, Mami.

Off the coast of Puerto Rico,

agents are trailing a leaking boat

with a young family onboard.

They got a crack in the hull,

so they're taking on water.

We don't want them to stop,

because then they're just gonna sink.

Agents only have one choice, follow

the boat and hope it stays afloat.

We're going to try and escort them

all the way back

into Puerto del Rey Marina,

where they can get some assistance

and get that boat out of the water

as soon as possible.

That's basically

all we can do at this point.

Because right now

They're doing a good job of keeping

the kids calm and in a safe position.

So, we have our lights on to let

other mariners know in the area

that we've got a situation going on,

to avoid the area.

Copy, escorting it to the marina at PDR.

The vessel still stable to arrive

at this destination.

The family, a mom, dad,

and two children under the age of eight,

must endure an anxious

four-mile trip back to shore.

Can you see where the crack is at?

- You can see the crack?

- Yeah, it's right there.

- It's on the stern?

- Yes, under the stern platform.

Okay, so we were able to identify

that the crack is near the platform

where the small boat is attached.

And I believe that's why

that's why the small boat is hanging

in the water the way it is.

So, the water is seeping in from the

stern into the lower compartments.

Finally, the Puerto del Rey Marina

comes into view.

They're safe. Nobody's injured.

Captain, we're gonna stay with you

until you are able to dock it safely.

Copy that, thank you.

All the exhausted father

needs to do now

is moor up with four

professionals watching on.

He picked the narrowest channel

to go down?

As soon as it's docked,

the boat will be hauled out

of the water for repairs.

People are taking a look at the vessel

to see what kind of damage it is.

The wife was pretty upset, emotionally.

One of our agents is going over to

talk to the kids, to calm them down,

make them feel okay.

As a major part of their work,

the marine agents help out

with an average of 200 search

and rescue missions each year.

We never like seeing accidents

or things take a turn for the worst.

All in all, everything turned out

the way it should have.

On an inhospitable Florida island,

agents are battling

100-degree temperatures

to rescue 11 undocumented migrants

stranded in hostile terrain.

We've been going through

the mangroves now.

The bugs are crazy out here.

And we're trying to get the

coordinates and to keep going.

After a grueling trek,

agent Brittany and her party

have located five people

hiding one mile inland.

The agents received orders to remain

in position and wait for backup.

Two hundred yards behind,

Agent Steve is part of a second

group trying to contain the area.

Right now, we're spread out staging,

see if anybody runs.

We'll pick up anybody.

Just kind of maintaining the station

until we get further word.

But two agents in this group

are succumbing to the heat.

Emergency medic, Zach, is concerned.

Give him some water, please.

We're all hurting, you know, so

ain't no use in pushing ourselves

beyond what we've got to.

In these conditions,

it can take as little as 10 minutes

for heat exhaustion to take hold.

Left unchecked, it will progress

to heatstroke, which can be fatal.

We're gonna stand by,

and rest up some of our guys

that are, you know, fatigued,

very fatigued.

So, we're gonna try to get them

some shade.

Zach looks out for the telltale signs

of confusion, headache, and nausea.

- Nobody vomiting?

- No, not yet.

Nearly out of water, the agents

take what little shelter they can.

One more full,

so we're gonna have to ration it.

I got a third.

But with one rapidly deteriorating,

Zach decides to medivac

the entire group out.

We need you have them standby, okay?

I'm going to get that small craft

out here now.

We're heading to the east side

of the island for medivac.

Copy, we have medivac.

Port Newark

is one of the major entry points

for the four trillion dollars worth

of goods the US imports each year.

Just this side and that side,

focused mostly on the center.

That's where the intel was.

But hidden along the legitimate shipments,

are billions of dollars' worth

of counterfeit consumer items.

A lot of times,

they'll put the legit commodity

around the actual contraband.

From watches, to bags and clothing,

Customs and Border Protection officers

are trained to spot the subtlest

signs of a fake.

The way it's made, the way it feels,

the quality of the product.

The murky world of counterfeiting

exploits the vulnerable

and provides a source of untraceable

cash, which funds criminality.

The money that is made

from these products being sold

can, in fact, be funding child labor

in other countries.

This could be funded from drug companies,

it could be from money laundering.

We don't know what the story is

at the end of the day.

Today, at the port's east coast warehouse,

Officer Vanessa has flagged

a shipment from North Africa.

We have this shipment coming from Egypt.

It appears to be some sort of clothing.

Her years of experience

tell her it needs to be examined.

I see that the boxes are flimsy.

Not packaged well.

Something does not feel right.

Vanessa knows

that a reputable manufacturer

would use high quality packages,

and clearly list their contents.

Looking at the boxes, there

is nothing that say what's inside.

As I'm looking at it,

I have different sizes.

I have different colors, but

I do not have what the commodity is.

Well, let's start cutting boxes.

Working with Vanessa

to investigate this shipment

are officers Marzia and Debbie.

This looks like men's T-shirts.

So, I can tell you that,

this having the tag over here,

this is not how

this is usually manufactured.

The T-shirts bear the logo

of a well-known brand.

I see a different type of rope

that they use.

And then here, the stitching is off.

The tags are very flimsy.

And this usually comes with

probably about, four to six tags.

So, I think that this is counterfeit,

but we're gonna check more,

and we're gonna see if there's

anything else in these boxes.

Do you all have six in each bag?

Yes.

Officer Debbie

spots further inconsistencies.

I also have the same shirts.

It's not as perfect

as it should be, right?

Even the labels, sometimes even

the thickness of the cardboard,

could tell you,

these are usually not the labels

that come with this apparel.

The officers will open every single box,

take detailed inventory,

and report their findings.

Now we're going to take pictures.

We're gonna take samples

back up to our office.

And then we're going to send them

to our specialists,

which are the import specialists

of this apparel,

and they're going to determine

whether they are counterfeit or not.

And they're also going to check

the trademark violations.

I think once we send it out,

it will come back as counterfeit.

With roughly 80,000 T-shirts

in the shipment,

its retail value would have been

around $1.2 million,

had it been allowed onto the market.

At the end of the day, this is just

not about trademark violations.

There could be a huge,

bigger story behind this.

Our goal is to get this off the streets

and out of those dangerous hands.

If the import specialists confirm

the officer's suspicions,

the clothing will be destroyed.

Anyone found to be involved

in the distribution of fakes

faces prosecution.

Basically, you get what you pay for.

We want to make sure that

the American public gets top quality.

In 2023, at the Port of Newark alone,

officers seized counterfeit goods

with a retail value of over $42 million.

We see a lot of these containers,

hundreds a month,

that we have to examine,

and it's very gratifying

to be able to catch these.

It helps us protect

the US economy and our jobs.

In the Florida Keys

a medical emergency is unfolding.

We need you to have them stand by, okay?

I'm going to get to that small craft

out here now.

We're heading to the east side

of the island for medivac.

A unit involved in the search

for 11 migrants

has succumbed to the near 100 degree heat.

It's gonna be north.

Two-five decimal.

Three, seven, eight. Nine, five.

- Okay.

- Over west.

Eight-zero decimal.

Two, three, zero, nine, four.

That's where we're gonna be heading to.

Stand by.

With one agent suffering

from confusion and nausea,

and others also showing signs

of heat exhaustion,

EMT Zach is medevacking

the unit of six off the island.

We're gonna land right next to you.

- You can see us. We can land here.

- Come over.

- This way, I'll give you a signal.

- Come over.

- We're going in the chopper.

- Yeah?

Eight confirmed.

You're gonna pick up

the agents that need medivac, right?

We got a spot to land, kind of close by.

As the only EMT on the island,

Zach stays behind in case anyone

else needs medical attention.

Some guys, you know,

they wanna keep pushing.

They don't know when to stop.

They overexert themselves,

that's when people get hurt.

Sometimes you come out

and you think you have enough

but the elements,

conditioning, stuff like that,

you can get worn down quick.

Harsh environment we work in.

It's dangerous for us

and for the people that

we're looking to apprehend.

Two hundred yards up ahead,

agent Brittany and her unit

have located five of the 11 migrants

who have been hiding

in the mangroves for 13 hours.

Some are too weak to move.

We're gonna need some water and

somebody to lead us out of here.

We have a bunch of people

that are on the border line.

- We also have a juvenile.

- That's good. Copy.

We're about 200 yards behind you, guys.

Just stand by. Find shade.

Hydrate the best you can.

Hello? Can you hear me?

Concerned, Zach radios

his commanding officer

to request a second rescue helicopter.

BFA 831.

If they can get ahold of Brittany

or somebody.

All right, we'll try to get another

helo to you guys.

Are you feeling all right right now?

No, I mean, I'm gassed,

but I'm conserving energy.

Within minutes, air support appears,

unable to land in the dense mangroves,

the helicopter heads

towards Zach's location

in the open scrubland nearby.

The unit that broke off from us

and went to make the apprehension,

they're now going to be guided over to us

where we have a good landing zone,

and they're going to bring

the apprehended,

and the fatigued, and exhausted with them.

And you have decent shade.

We have the landing zone, and now we wait

and let them coordinate

their way back to us.

On the side of that bush?

Exactly where he stops above,

that's where they are.

Elsewhere on the island,

a separate unit has now located

the remaining six migrants

who have been stranded in the mangroves.

All from Ecuador.

Some are suffering from

minor injuries and heat exhaustion.

But no one appears seriously hurt.

They will be fully checked out by medics.

As the medivac sets off from the

mangrove forest with the other five,

all 11 migrants are now accounted for.

They will be taken to a processing center

where a decision will be made

whether to allow them to stay

in the United States or send

them back to their home country.

After a successful mission,

the agents sent to rescue them

are also safe.

All right.

The Florida Straits

between the Bahamas

and the southeast tip of America

attract avid fishermen

from both nations.

It's also a pastime which provides

a cover for more nefarious activity.

Off the coast of Fort Lauderdale,

agents Todd, Alex, and Mike,

are involved in a high speed pursuit.

- Are the lights on?

- Lights on.

When they ordered a fishing boat

which was coming towards port to stop,

it abruptly sped back out to sea.

Is he running? Is he evading?

Why is he turning around?

Finally, the boat responds

to blue lights and slows down.

He turned 180 degrees, almost

like he was trying to evade us.

Come forward for me a little bit.

Hey! Why don't you guys

come forward for me?

- Hey, can you guys understand me?

- You guys speak Spanish, English?

- English? Spanish? English.

- English.

All right,

move forward for me a little bit.

You, sir, come over here for me.

It's United States Customs.

- How are we doing today?

- Good.

All right, I'm doing good.

We're gonna come on board.

How many people you got on board?

- Just three.

- Just you three?

- Any weapons on board?

- No.

Do me a favor,

can you move these over here?

Until we get on board,

can everybody stay on that side?

Just for our safety.

- How we doing?

- Good, how are you?

All right. Everybody

United States citizens?

Okay. Who's the owner of the vessel?

- Whose boat is it?

- Mine.

The three men claimed to be friends

on a fishing trip.

A common cover story used by smugglers.

How many did you catch today?

We hooked up a few.

We seen, we're-- We--,

Trying to excite the bait.

We were seeing them behind the boat

and, well, you know how that goes.

While Mike looks for holes in their story,

Vessel Commander Todd keeps

a close eye from the agents' boat.

From a distance, we see these boats

that have

all these rods and reels on them.

But sometimes, more times than not,

if it is a smuggling venture,

and they're not strung with a line.

They're wrapped in plastic

from when they bought them.

From a distance, it looks like it's

a regular, recreational fishing boat,

but when you make your approach,

you look at them,

and they don't even have hooks on.

This boat's fishing rig is clearly in use,

but that doesn't mean

the occupants are in the clear.

Mike and Alex separate the boat

owner from the other two men,

and drilled down on their stories.

- You all right, sir?

- You look nervous.

- I am nervous.

- Why?

'Cause it's a police officer.

But you've got nothing

to be nervous about.

You have nothing ill*gal in the past.

- No, no.

- No? Okay.

Did you meet with anybody

when you went out fishing?

Did you stop and meet up

with any other boat?

So, right now

you were heading inland, right?

You were heading to port?

I was texting my wife and I had no signal.

So you went to get a signal

and then you turned around.

- Ah, okay.

- And I saw my text went through.

But Agent Alex isn't satisfied.

The boat's owner's nervous behavior

has aroused his suspicion.

He runs his ID

through the national crime database.

We're looking for wants or warrants,

any outstanding warrants.

Any type of criminal,

violent criminal history

that might put the agents in danger

while they're on board.

Things of that nature.

It shows he had a brush with the law.

- Have you been arrested before?

- Excuse me?

- Have you been arrested before?

- DWI.

- DWI, anything else?

- No.

Alex asked the same question

to one of the other crew members.

- Have you ever been arrested before?

- I have, yes.

- For what?

- Uh, for DUI.

- Back in 2012, I think.

- Anything else?

Um, no, nothing.

He, too, admits one offense.

But the database is showing

Nothing else?

Several more misdemeanor charges

that he's failing to disclose.

Nothing else.

His withholding of information

makes the agents wonder

what else he might be doing.

At a ferry terminal in Puerto Rico

This is hot.

A team of agents is searching a vehicle

believed to be loaded with narcotics.

There's nothing on top of the spare,

yeah, I've checked.

After running the canine

for a second time,

it alerted to a rear wheel.

One of the agents

is using a stick right now

to check the density of the wheel.

We'll put some pressure

on the wheel to see if it sounds,

like some areas are really dense.

But when the agent taps the tire,

it feels and sounds even in density.

If there were packages hidden within,

he'd most likely detect the change.

After an exhaustive search, agents

conclude the vehicle is clean.

There is a high frequency

of these ferries that come in,

probably around hourly.

It could be that maybe,

if they're tipped off,

the narcotics

could have been thrown overboard

or maybe they just moved the narcotics

prior to putting the vehicle on the ferry.

The fact that the canine alerted strongly,

suggests the vehicle's been loaded

at some point in the recent past.

But tonight, the driver is off the hook.

Off the coast of Fort Lauderdale,

Agents Mike and Alex

have boarded a fishing boat

which failed to stop when requested.

The owner's nervous behavior

is arousing suspicion.

So, too, is a crew member's failure

to come clean about his criminal history.

In fact, he has a number

of misdemeanor charges,

including drug possession.

Alex decides to search the vessel.

Come over here. How do you open

these two compartments?

- Yeah.

- Okay, come over here.

You gotta--

- Okay. All right.

- Right, move this.

- Can I move this?

- Sure, you can put it in there.

Put it in there, that's fine.

Pull it out.

Okay? Right, you can go back.

The compartments contain

nothing suspicious.

Next, Alex searches the stern.

So far, nothing.

But the cabin below deck is locked,

and the owner seems reluctant

to allow access.

They're asking the owner

to help him out with finding a key.

This actually is taking a little bit

longer than it normally would.

I'm just getting him to unlock it.

The owner appeared to be very,

almost nervous by that.

Almost watching

what was going on down below.

And a lot of times,

that's kind of a giveaway on

"Oh God,

they're gonna find something."

- Mike, I'm going to go under, okay?

- Yes.

The cabin is empty.

- That's good.

- Have a good rest of your day.

The entire boat appears clean.

- Take it easy, guys.

- Yep, we'll go up.

Leaving the three men

free to continue their day.

What was going on?

The owner of the vessel was super nervous.

- I noticed that from here.

- Yeah.

His demeanor immediately changed

when you had to go down below

to open a hatch

that you couldn't get open.

Why are you so nervous?

He kept asking him.

He said, "No, it's just

I never had cops on board."

Yeah, but why you so nervous?

Have you been arrested?

He said, "Oh, maybe one time."

- And then the other guy

- With the collared shirt.

- He said, "I think it was a DUI too."

- He had a whole bunch.

20 grams of marijuana.

So, he had a few charges.

- None open.

- They did have fishing gear.

They did have fish.

Satisfied that the men's evasive

behavior came down to anxiousness,

the crew heads back to Fort Lauderdale.

So, all in all, everything was good.

He was nervous about being

around law enforcement in general.

That could have been his demeanor.

We did our checks

and everything came back good.

We searched.

Nothing came back out

of the ordinary. And on we go.

Summertime is fun, I'll tell you.