Airport Security: USA ambient background
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Airport Security: USA backdrop

Airport Security: USA

Airport Security: USA

2025•42m•Documentary
Similars

Every day, 3 million airline passengers travel into the United States— and every one of them is screened and their baggage checked by one of the 40,000 officers who work on America’s front line. This series documents the challenges faced by CBP at four of the busiest airports in the US including Atlanta, Honolulu, Detroit, San Francisco and Newark. From career drug smugglers and human traffickers to less serious visa and passport defaulters, everyone who comes into the United States by air is subject to scrutiny.

StatusReturning Series
Runtime42m
LanguageEN
First Air DateApr 8, 2025

Episodes

Episode 1 - Episode 1E142m

Episode 1

At San Francisco International Airport, a man attempts to smuggle four kilos of marijuana into the United Kingdom. Although the drug is legal in California, its export is a federal criminal offense. Instead of a lavish profit, the victim faces a long prison sentence. Meanwhile, a passenger from South Korea has completely different problems: When he tries to board the plane to Seoul, homeland security investigators intercept him. Is the alleged tourist a North Korean spy?

Apr 8, 2025

Episode 2 - Episode 2E242m

Episode 2

At Newark Liberty International Airport, passengers try to import contraband from Egypt – including a bag of cow dung. Meanwhile, officials in San Francisco are holding a woman entering from Japan. She confesses that she came to America to work as a prostitute. Was she abducted against her will?

Apr 15, 2025

Episode 3 - Episode 3E342m

Episode 3

Officers in Newark discover marijuana in children's toys and the hallucinogenic drug DMT in the luggage of a passenger in San Francisco. Unusual weapons cause a stir during the screening of hunters from Africa. And: A man who wants to return to Ghana before his asylum hearing is stopped.

Apr 22, 2025

Episode 4 - Episode 4E442m

Episode 4

A young woman wants to pick up her mother, who is visiting from Chile, at San Francisco airport. The daughter comes directly and still somewhat threatened from a music festival. In her backpack she has marijuana, which is now legal in California. She has the sobering experience that different laws apply at an international airport. Meanwhile, in Newark, an investigator questions a woman from Ghana who is suspected of being part of an international gang of car thieves.

Apr 29, 2025

Episode 5 - Episode 5E542m

Episode 5

At Newark Liberty International Airport, a Dominican tries to bring 50 live baby fighting fish to the United States, but without an import license, such quantities are prohibited. A US citizen wants to enter the country with Cuban cigars, which are illegal to import into the US due to an embargo. Chinese tourists do not adequately declare their amounts of cash. And: At Honolulu International Airport, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials locate a cocaine shipment in cargo luggage.

May 6, 2025

Episode 6 - Episode 6E642m

Episode 6

A man is arrested at San Francisco airport for trying to smuggle kilos of cannabis into the United Kingdom, where marijuana is illegal, unlike in California. Major operation in Detroit: US customs and border officials filter a plane from Mexico, along with passengers and luggage, in a 100 percent inspection. In Honolulu, customs discovered pirated excavators. And: At Newark Airport, a Dominican failed to re-enter the country after 29 years in the United States. Welcome to the USA.

May 13, 2025

Episode 7 - Episode 7E742m

Episode 7

A tip-off about a passenger from Barcelona reveals some very unusual items in their luggage, leading to a lengthy search. A second tip-off about a woman suspected of wanting to work as a prostitute ends in a visa cancellation. In Detroit, dried citrus fruits found in a passenger’s bag raise alarms about a potential plant virus. At Atlanta, GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone), a substance used in date-rape drugs, is found in the luggage of a party organizer. A Burning Man festival visitor at San Francisco is caught smuggling illegal pills and forbidden dance sticks. At Honolulu, a Japanese tourist is questioned for carrying contact lenses in three different colors, which raises suspicion.

May 20, 2025

Episode 8 - Episode 8E842m

Episode 8

A baggage x-ray at Detroit reveals some disturbing items. In Atlanta, a passenger is flagged for carrying strange "household" cleaning products. At Honolulu, an agent selects a passenger with way too much baggage and no return ticket for a more thorough inspection. In Honolulu, a suspicious woman is investigated for trying to stay illegally in the U.S. A drug depot is discovered in an abandoned suitcase. Counterfeit goods are found in Atlanta, including a strong-smelling soap. In Newark, a family is found smuggling luxury items from Dubai into the U.S. without proper declaration.

May 27, 2025

Episode 9 - Episode 9E942m

Episode 9

A violent passenger refusing to comply with checks is held for investigation. A tip-off leads to a marijuana suitcase, resulting in a full bag check. An agent intercepts a court order violation when a man attempts to take children out of the country. Crystal meth, valued at two million dollars, is found in Honolulu's freight terminal by a sniffer dog. A Japanese woman at San Francisco raises suspicions due to unclear money flows and suspicious behavior. At San Francisco, puppies are discovered being smuggled without the required papers.

Jun 3, 2025

Episode 10 - Episode 10E1042m

Episode 10

A misdirected baggage reveals a handgun. Authorities are concerned for an unaccompanied minor child traveling alone. Containerized goods are carefully checked before being allowed on an aircraft. Misdirected luggage at Newark also contains a gun. A Chinese teen is investigated for potential human trafficking concerns after traveling alone. At Honolulu, Crystal meth is found in freight intended for Australia.

Jun 10, 2025

Episode 11 - Episode 11E1142m

Episode 11

A 100% check is conducted on a DHL express cargo flight at Newark, where agents discover hidden contraband. A Japanese passenger tries to evade duty payment on high-value designer goods. In Newark, syringes with unknown contents are found in luggage during an inspection. At Honolulu, a passenger refuses cooperation, and his phone indicates evidence of drug use. In San Francisco, a fugitive is apprehended shortly after arriving on a flight.

Jun 17, 2025

Episode 12 - Episode 12E1242m

Episode 12

A man violating a restraining order is detained at the airport. A stolen passport case is investigated after the passports are sent by mail. A passenger attempting to defraud customs by hiding luxury goods is scrutinized. A man with a contact ban on his wife attempts to board a flight, violating the restraining order. Counterfeit video games are intercepted at Atlanta Airport. A woman at San Francisco tries to bring luxury goods worth $200,000 into the U.S. without declaring them, believing she can sneak them past customs.

Jun 24, 2025

Actors

Dan Nachtrab

Dan Nachtrab

Narrator (voice)

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