Smuggling Drugs: Airport Tricks And Tips

Airports have become a common site for drug trafficking, with smugglers attempting to transport illegal substances through customs checkpoints. The methods used by traffickers vary, including concealment in luggage, clothing, and even the human body. To combat this, airports have implemented stringent security measures, such as additional screening by customs staff and the use of advanced technologies like the MX908, which can detect trace amounts of drugs. Despite these efforts, drug smuggling through airports remains a complex issue, with international operations such as Interpol's Operation Lionfish targeting trafficking across multiple countries. The consequences of being caught in possession of drugs at airports can be severe, with potential charges ranging from simple possession to distribution and trafficking.

Hiding drugs in food, clothing, or luggage

Traffickers also frequently use food items to disguise their drugs. On the US-Mexico border, authorities have discovered drugs hidden in shipments of produce, such as marijuana in cucumbers, plantains, and limes, and meth in jalapeños. In addition, drugs have been found in coconuts, pineapples, and tomatoes. In one instance, a woman was caught smuggling heroin balls in potato chip bags, which appeared sealed and unopened.

Drug smugglers have also been known to conceal drugs in tube-like containers, such as fire extinguishers, wooden blocks, and car batteries. They may also disguise drugs as colourful, candy-like pills, which can be particularly appealing to children. For instance, a Maine news station reported the seizure of green and purple candy-shaped pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Furthermore, some smugglers attempt to hide drugs on their person. For example, a former general manager of multiple passenger airline cargo facilities shared that they had once hidden a baggie of weed in a live plant shipment, and on another occasion, they concealed three vials of an unidentified white substance in their back pocket.

Disguising drugs as other substances

Drug traffickers use a variety of methods to smuggle drugs through airports, including concealment in luggage, clothing, and even the human body. Hiding drugs within other materials, such as powders and liquids, is a popular method as it not only disguises the drugs but also makes it harder for law enforcement to identify them using analytical technologies.

One way to disguise drugs is by infusing them into the fibres of clothing and towels. For example, MDMA, also known as Molly or Ecstasy, has been smuggled by impregnating it into clothing items. Liquid cocaine can also be poured into the fabric of clothes, increasing the weight of the garment by around 15%. The process is then reversed in a lab to extract the drug without any loss. Similarly, drugs can be hidden in powders and liquids to evade detection. Chilean Customs once discovered a traveller transporting four bottles of brown liquid in their backpack, which was later identified as DMT (dimethyltryptamine).

Drug traffickers have also been known to disguise drugs as other substances. For instance, a woman was caught smuggling heroin balls hidden inside sealed potato chip bags in her purse. In another instance, over 150 pounds of crystal meth were found concealed inside air compressor canisters in New York. Drug cartels have also been known to disguise drugs as colourful, candy-like pills. Law enforcement in Maine seized green and purple candy-shaped pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Additionally, drugs can be smuggled inside the human body, a method known as "body packing". This involves attaching drugs to the outside of the body using adhesive tape, glue, or straps, often in places like between the cheeks of the buttocks or between rolls of fat. Alternatively, drugs can be ingested in the form of tiny balloons made from multilayered condoms, latex gloves, or hollow pellets, which are later recovered from the excreted faeces. This method is commonly used for heroin, cocaine, and MDMA (ecstasy).

Using fake passports and disguises

Smuggling drugs through an airport is a challenging task due to stringent security measures. However, some individuals may attempt to use fake passports and disguises to avoid suspicion while transporting illegal substances. Here are some ways smugglers might use these tools to their advantage:

Fake Passports:

• Smugglers may obtain counterfeit or fraudulently obtained passports to assume a false identity. This allows them to travel under an alias, making it harder for authorities to track their real identity and previous travel history.
• They might alter their physical appearance to match the description on the fake passport, such as changing their hairstyle or wearing glasses to resemble the passport photo.

Disguises:

• Disguises can be used to alter one's physical appearance significantly, making it more challenging for law enforcement to identify them based on descriptions or surveillance footage.
• This could involve changing hairstyles, wearing wigs, growing or shaving beards, or using makeup to alter facial features.
• Disguises can also extend to clothing choices, such as wearing items that conceal their body shape or using accessories like hats, scarves, or sunglasses to obscure facial recognition.

Combining Fake Passports and Disguises:

• Smugglers may combine fake passports with well-crafted disguises to create entirely new personas, allowing them to assume different identities for different trips.
• They might also use disguises to impersonate individuals with similar physical characteristics, such as age, height, and build, further reinforcing their false identity.

Evading Suspicion:

• By using fake passports and disguises, smugglers aim to blend in with other travellers and avoid arousing suspicion. They may dress and behave like typical tourists or business travellers to reduce the likelihood of drawing attention to themselves.
• In some cases, smugglers may even create backstories or fictional identities to support their false passports, further enhancing their cover.

It is important to note that using fake passports and disguises to smuggle drugs is a serious criminal offence. Airport security and law enforcement agencies employ advanced technologies and training to detect such deceptive practices. The consequences of being caught can be severe, including imprisonment and hefty fines.

Swallowing balloons filled with drugs

To facilitate the swallowing process, mules may be given a soup laced with drugs to numb their throats. This soup is often oily, allowing the balloons to slide down their throats more easily. Additionally, their mouths may be sprayed with anaesthesia, enabling them to swallow a large number of balloons, sometimes as many as 120 or more.

During the journey, mules are given medication to inhibit bowel movements to prevent the expulsion of the balloons. Once they reach their destination, they are typically given laxatives to help pass the balloons. The balloons are then retrieved from the mule's excrement.

It is important to note that the use of body packers or drug mules, especially those who swallow balloons filled with drugs, is a dangerous and illegal practice. The potential risks and consequences, including serious injuries, overdose, and even death, far outweigh any potential financial gains.

Smuggling drugs via maritime vessels

There are a variety of vessels used for maritime drug smuggling, including private boats, fishing vessels, and large cargo ships. In the case of fishing vessels, a cover story of having caught fish is used to avoid suspicion. Drug smuggling via maritime vessels can also involve the use of "mules," who are individuals that transport drugs on their persons, often in exchange for money.

Drugs are hidden in various ways, depending on the vessel. In smaller vessels, drugs may be hidden in concealed compartments in the hull or even in fuel tanks located deep in the ship's hold. In larger cargo ships, drugs are often hidden among other cargo items, such as bulk canned foods, dry goods like coffee, rice, and flour, or within concrete blocks, fruits, vehicles, or the insulation of container ships. Mixing drugs with liquid products and soaking them in fabrics such as clothing are also common tactics.

To avoid detection, drug smugglers also create operational businesses to disguise mass shipments. For example, drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman opened a cannery in Mexico and produced canned jalapeños and peppers stuffed with cocaine. Additionally, drug smugglers have been known to use submarines to transport drugs, with the number of "narco submarine" incidents rising in recent years.

It is important to note that drug smuggling is illegal and dangerous, with severe consequences for those caught. Law enforcement agencies, such as the DEA, work in cooperation with organizations like the U.S. Coast Guard and military to patrol the waters and intercept drug-running vessels. Technological innovations, such as X-ray scanning, are also used to uncover smuggling operations.

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