Original subtitles

On this episode of Drug Wars, new methods of drug trafficking are

emerge in Panama, with violent gangs now stealing drugs directly from the

narcos.

And when the busiest ferry from the Dominican Republic resumes its service,

.S. authorities in Puerto Rico kick into high gear.

What is it?

We got something here.

America's public enemy number one.

is drug abuse.

The decades -long war on drugs is a constant battle.

Drugs are menacing our society.

With the growing demand in the United States, cartels are moving an endless

supply of drugs. Fusion is taking you inside the drug war. To the front lines

Operation Martillo, a multinational counter -narcotics operation.

In just three months, we witnessed over 15 tons of drug seizures, totaling over

$800 million.

is drug wars.

Since Panama neighbors Colombia, one of the world's top cocaine producers,

Panamanian authorities play a large role in busting narcos pushing drugs up

north.

As cartels evolve, eluding law enforcement, one of the new trends in

called microtraffic.

Smaller drug shipments and more trips.

This has led to increased overall movement, resulting in more cases for

to investigate.

Tonight is no different.

UTOA, Panama's Tactical Anti -Drug Operations Unit, received a piece of

about a package of 200 kilos or so that is being smuggled in the area tonight.

They just called the commander.

We have a situation.

Supposedly, a boat that comes from Colombia has arrived at this point,

us. They, taking advantage of the darkness, want to transport a drug to

road that you see here, which is the closest.

Okay, the one back here? Yes.

Approximately, it's 200 kilos. There's going to be a car waiting for them. But

they also handle the information that a car from outside is coming to try to

take the drug.

TUMBADORES are modern -day bandits who rob drugs from the smugglers. They found

a weakness in the narcos' methods.

which uses local fishermen to transport the drugs, often with little to no

protection. So timing is everything, as the police need to get to the drugs

before the tumbadores do.

They were going to do the incautations themselves.

Well, then, they resold the drugs. Do you know how people who work at Mar del

Deleuze are treated?

I'm the personnel. Get on board, gentlemen. Get on board. A little while

the sector known as Nombre de Dios in Colón, they were victims of these

drug traffickers who killed two of our companions. Today, a family cries, a

family suffers.

And we also feel part of it.

We also feel sad, but that doesn't motivate us. On the contrary, it

us to move forward.

Panama, known as a peaceful country, has recently seen bloodshed, murders,

and disappearances. It is known that it is a product of drug trafficking and of

this rancor between gangs that dump drugs on each other in order to possess

these substances that are economically profitable for them.

Since the moment we left the unit and were given the mission, we have been

running in danger.

The unit arrives to an abandoned road that has access to the water, a

route for smugglers to unload quickly and disappear.

But

this

area is also extremely dangerous for law enforcement, as its thick jungle

provides a perfect hideout for gangs to wait and rob the smugglers and even

ambush police units.

After a few hours of checking the area, the unit can't find any signs of the

smugglers or the gangs waiting for them.

As the unit continues their search through the dark jungle, suddenly they

voices.

While Panama struggles with gang violence, Puerto Rico faces its own new

challenges. The island's unique geography with beaches, caves, and

makes it a prime location for narcos trying to get their drugs into the

States. Puerto Rico is a small island. We've got water everywhere, and it's

really hard to patrol all coasts at the same time. The large island is a big

challenge for Customs and Border Protection, patrolling these areas

Smugglers are trying to beat us.

and we're trying to get them all the time.

This ferry has just restored service from the Dominican Republic after three

months of inactivity.

Officers believe there is a good chance for a drug bust today, since narcos have

exploited this ferry to move their merchandise in the past.

This is domestic that tried to get it to the mainland United States.

CBP, Customs and Border Protection, is aware of this sudden spike of drug

trafficking in Puerto Rico.

CBP has already seized hundreds of kilos in these ferry lines.

We had about three seizures of half a kilo of heroin coming in through the

of San Juan.

Traffickers target the ferry to smuggle small quantities of drugs, split into

several trips each week.

Passengers often get caught smuggling, but the most common has been smuggling

drugs in vehicle compartments.

Inside the terminal, customs officers like David Olivo check passengers' ID.

and make sure their stories add up.

Today we had a lot of passengers coming off the cruise ferry, coming in pretty

packed. We processed mainly Dominican Republic residents or U .S. citizens

were born in Dominican Republic or have family there. They're bringing a lot of

merchandise over.

Formerly with the Air Force, Olivo has extensive experience in seaport cargo

knows what to look for in suspicious passengers.

This ship's coming from the Dominican Republic to high risk for narcotics, so

have a...

since we need to ask a lot of questions.

Supervisor Mayra Figueroa is tipped off about possible criminal activity.

Apparently

somebody

approached a passenger on the ferry and asked him if he could take a package to

somebody outside.

The hunt for a possible drug package in the ferry begins.

Panamanian police are on the hunt for narcos trying to move 200 kilos of

cocaine.

Intel led them deep into the jungle, also a notorious spot for gangs

to rob smugglers.

At first we started walking and we couldn't see anything.

But later, after a few minutes, we saw silhouettes coming towards us.

No!

No!

No! No!

The smugglers deny everything.

If cartels know they got arrested, it could cost them their lives and their

families.

Where is the other amount of drugs? Because they only carry a bag. So we

know, in reality, where is the other amount of drugs.

Well, gentlemen, we are the tactical unit of the previous operation of the

National Police.

Right now, you came to an area that is forbidden to pass.

I want to know which of you is in quality of cooperation with the National

Police. The one who cooperates is fine, the one who does not cooperate is bad.

One of the suspects seems willing to cooperate.

Right now, the police just want information about the rest of the drugs.

He claims they were

stolen by a gang of tumbadores.

The few packages they do have were buried when the robbers surprised them.

In Puerto Rico, the ferry coming from the Dominican Republic has been a

preferred method of drug smuggling by Dominican cartels.

Today, authorities have been tipped off about another possible smuggling

operation. But right now the officers are alert about that information and we

are trying to determine if somebody has or is carrying that package with them.

But with the tipster not being able to describe the suspect and more than 100

passengers checking in, identifying the culprit presents a challenge.

A traveler on the ferry gets red flagged and taken to secondary inspection.

Tells the crew he's a social worker from California, celebrating his 40th

birthday by backpacking through the Caribbean.

He stayed backpacking in the DR for 16 days. They didn't give me a good where

stayed. I didn't know. Just at random hostels. But it was just one of those

awkward travel patterns that he had.

Anybody would refer just because it's not normal.

What is this?

Is that something here?

But after a thorough search of his backpack, a suspicious powdery substance

found.

Panamanian police have just surprised two smugglers, but officers got there

late. They claim to have been victims of tumbadores, local gangs who have taken

most of the drugs.

Take him away.

Take him away or we'll kill him.

Take him away.

It's possible that the grave was built because we kept intelligence information

that a group that works against the law came to make the drug grave.

Comanche, we're going to check the personnel. The personnel that keeps the

security in the back, move forward with Comanche.

Quickly, with Comanche. The back, one more time.

With Comanche. Comanche, go with three more.

The unit decides to calm the scene to make sure the smugglers are not lying

no drugs got left behind.

The suspects claim that the tumbadores have also taken their IDs.

This is a common tactic used to pressure smugglers into staying quiet, as they

know that the tumbadores will come knocking if they tell the police

After a detailed search, the unit finds no signs of additional drugs or weapon.

It's very valuable for us, the information that the subjects can give

we grab.

So it's like a process, like a chain.

First we grab the kilos here, and then another person is displaced. These drugs

supposedly have to be in an area of the district or the city.

Now, to find these tumbadores, the police calls in their special forces,

an elite unit that's trained for high -risk missions in urban areas.

They'll hit the streets in search of the gang and the drugs.

This means entering San Miguelito, Panama's most dangerous neighborhood.

Acting on a tip about a smuggling operation, CBP officers in Puerto Rico

traveler with a suspicious powder.

We've got something here.

If you let them go by and they had something, it's gone. So we want to make

that you know what you're doing.

If you have any doubt, any doubt, just refer.

If the test turns blue, it's most likely cocaine.

Officers stay nearby in order to make a quick arrest if needed.

But it turns out the powders are vitamins and herbs.

Officers can never be too careful. Many times drugs are hidden along with

regular vitamins and household powders.

Because the traveler checked out clean, CBP is left looking for

answers.

Over in vehicle inspection, the news spreads, so every vehicle will be

meticulously inspected, even if this means taking the engine apart.

They've been getting real good on the type of packages that they've been

so any sign of tampering that we see, we're going to look further into it.

Most drug seizures in the past have been with vehicles.

So here, officers are not only trained law enforcement, but some are also

mechanics. Officer Gonzalez has been with us for two years here, but prior to

here, he was in Miami.

I've been working for CBP for about eight years. I was part of the 87 Miami

report, the House of Pain.

That's how they actually called the place.

I'm really proud of it.

Recently, Gonzalez outsmarted drug traffickers when he took part in a

bust.

Finding

drugs

inside a van's luggage rack has officers searching similar vehicles traveling on

the ferry.

Officers disassemble every part of the van that can hold drugs.

In order to do this job, you have to be really meticulous about how you do your

job, digging and digging into vehicles until, you know, they find something.

The vehicle must also go through an X -ray scanner.

For the top of the van, a special micro -camera is the tool of choice.

No contraband was found this time.

but it's still early and a long line of cars await inspection.

Officers remain on high alert for a possible smuggling operation.

After a few vehicles, the canine dog sniffed out a green pickup truck, and

reaction puts everyone on high alert.

Back in Panama, police have captured two smugglers, but they are still looking

for the rest of the drugs believed to have been stolen by local gangs.

They've called in their special forces unit to enter a dangerous drug gang

The unit canvases the area and soon spots a local crew of gang members known

sometimes provide info about rival gangs.

The gang members confirmed

that the tumbadores were spotted around the neighborhood, bragging about their

recent heist.

Part of the intel recovered was a possible location, so police carefully

prepared to move their search to another dangerous zone, always mindful of a

possible ambush by the gang.

On the next episode of Drug Wars, Panamanian police go after a local gang

just stole a major load of drugs.

How much has the drug trade affected the slums?

And in Puerto Rico, the hunt for a drug

package arriving on a ferry from the Dominican Republic continues.