Original subtitles

On this episode of Drug Wars, the

U .S. Coast Guard is after three targets in the Pacific Ocean.

While in the Caribbean, radar

technology spots an unidentified plane that could be smuggling drugs.

And in Panama, Pastor Ricky faces the most notorious gangs in an effort to

the cycle of violence.

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. Positive for cocaine.

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

Martillo, a multinational counter -narcotics operation.

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

$800 million.

This is Drug Wars.

The U .S. Coast Guard continues their 90 -day deployment in the Pacific Ocean,

now off the coast of Guatemala.

Today, Cutter Boutwell, along with Air Marine Support, are following up on

about two panga -style boats and a fishing vessel, possibly working

smuggle large loads of cocaine.

Soon, the aircraft spots some unusual activity and alerts the crew on the

Boutwell. Verified a panga traveling north at a high rate of speed.

And then from there, we altered our course of speed to intercept.

I've got everybody banded ready. I'm just waiting on the course.

Hey, we've got another one over there.

All of a sudden, another unidentified penguin pops up.

We just visually identified another go -fast off our fourth bow.

Boat deck bridge. I just want to verify that's full, small boat.

With two possible drug boats in the water, U .S. Coast Guard will have to

their efforts or focus on one target at a time.

The Caribbean

Corridor is another

prime area for drug smuggling where Operation Martillo focuses their

In Puerto Rico, the Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center, known as KMOC,

uses the latest radar technology to track suspicious activity in the air and

sea.

The agency is responsible for alerting suspicious activity from human

drug trafficking, and terrorism.

We work for Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine.

The KMOC is primarily responsible for surveillance out to 150 nautical miles

from Puerto Rico.

We identify, track, and, if needed, intercept unknown aircraft and vessels

within our area of responsibility.

The majority of work has been cocaine, the influx of migrants coming from the

Dominican Republic. Between the years 2009 and 2011,

We observed many unknown air tracks that transited from South America up through

the Caribbean.

A lot of those transits that occurred ended up in airdrops in the Dominican

Republic, south of the Dominican Republic, and some even occurred in the

Palma.

Talk to me about your conservative hearing in the operations center.

We have a real...

Suddenly,

our interview is interrupted with a real -life scenario.

The

officers

soon spot an unidentified plane, and the operation springs into action.

Try to identify it via Dominican Republic, Las Americas Tower.

They

were not

able to identify the aircraft.

They had no record of a flight plan that it was coming towards Dominican

Republic. Planes traveling in the Caribbean have to report with air

control. This plane has not, so it is quickly flagged for possible air

contraband. Sir, we have a primary track right here,

3101730N, 06820W, normal 3, no

altitude. That aircraft was coming from Venezuela, and then he was heading

towards Boca de Yuma. That's a very hot spot for drug smugglers.

On the previous episode, Rapa, a local journalist who works for law

took us inside Panama's slums to see the extreme poverty and violence caused by

the drug traffic.

He

introduced

us to Pastor Ricky, a former drug dealer who now helps gangs and dealers also

change their life.

Pastor Ricky is fearless in his community. He once wore these gangster

He shows us where the active gang members hide, while those who Pastor

managed to turn.

Hang out in the open.

Pastor Ricky has witnessed the gruesome reality of this life.

Like Carlos, a former gang leader, his last gang assassinated part of his

family.

But they had killed him.

They killed my nephew.

My nephew was not the problem.

He was working.

But because of me being involved in the gang, they did this to

him.

I asked God to get me out of this, that I was going to serve him. The Lord got

me out of this.

Pastor Ricky is now determined to talk to one of the most notorious gangs in

neighborhood. Despite the group's high murder rate he isn't afraid to confront

them.

While inside the drug house, the pandilleros ask the pastor to respect

and warn him there are drug deals taking place upstairs.

The crew is advised to stay away from the premises.

We back away and shoot from afar.

Pastor Ricky takes notice of a particular gang member whose family

local church.

Because Pastor Ricky knows about

this kid's mom, he's heard her concerns.

He soon makes it a mission to get him to leave the gang life.

Where is your diploma?

My diploma is saved.

Then what's the point of graduating?

Then why don't you exercise what you graduated from? Why don't you work?

Because you're in your business, your problem and your thing.

But you smoke a lot of marijuana.

That's the life of the gangster.

You see, you're a gangster, that's why you don't work.

You can say Misa.

You can say Misa.

But you can say Misa.

We are going to change in the name of Jesus. Amen.

After speaking for a while, the gangsters lower their guard, and they

go to church, a small step in the right direction.

But gang members are unpredictable and erratic. Still, Pastor Ricky stays

positive.

In Puerto Rico, the Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center that monitors

drug smuggling in the area targets a suspicious aircraft.

I'll contact the Caribbean Air and Marine branch and let them know we have

track of interest in the suspect.

Excellent. We're standing by.

We were unsuccessful in identifying that track, which escalates the probability

that that track is now suspect.

It's not performing normal flight rules. It's not following procedures that it's

supposed to, especially for a track that's arriving from a foreign country.

CTO Santiago, this is CTO Sonny Markham here at the KMOC. To advise you, we have

a track of interest currently.

The track is south of Dominican Republic heading northbound. Request that we

divert Omaha 9 -1 Juliet to intercept.

With the surveillance plan in pursuit of the unknown target, the KMOC team

remains in contact with the pilot to provide radar support and intel on the

possible smugglers.

South of the request back to the target.

Roger, who copied heading at 006, 4 ,000 feet.

In Panama, some gang members feel the only way out is through religion.

Pastor Ricky, a former drug dealer himself, has dedicated his life to

these troubled kids.

Pastor Ricky also supports his church's congregation in their weekly Sunday

service. It's a full house.

But he's pulled away as he receives word about an unexpected visitor.

Pastor Ricky is surprised.

The same gang member he met a few weeks earlier at El Torillo has shown up to

talk to him.

It's a very difficult situation, really.

A lot of problems and so many things that overwhelm my

life.

I'm tired of so many problems that have happened in my life.

I can imagine.

But it's good that you came here. You know, I've always told you that...

Pastor Ricky at first is suspicious whether this gang member is really

about leaving.

Sometimes, gangsters use religion to go into hiding when they run into trouble.

I saw how they killed others, they chopped them all, they put them in bags.

I truly saw that there is no future.

And I believe that God has something for me, something better.

God can...

You can see through my fingers, this was a bullet impact. On that occasion, when

I received more than five bullet impacts, I was obviously hit here in my

On both legs, I know what I suffered.

And the weapon?

Well, I have the weapon here.

You have it here?

Wow, Dios mio.

Handing over the gun and bullets for a gangster is a big deal.

Pastor Ricky feels this gang member may be determined to change his life after

all.

This is a document that we are going to hand over to the corresponding

authorities. We are willing to help you. I want to congratulate you. I don't

want anything to investigate. No, no, no. You don't have anything to do with

I want to give you a hug.

I want to congratulate you for that decision that you have made.

Father, there is a new beginning, a new beginning in your life.

Now I ask you to keep them from all temptations. There will be many

Thank you, we give you, Lord.

Amen. Amen. Well, brothers, I congratulate you. The truth has been the

decision you have made, and it will be a pleasure for us to be able to

collaborate with you in everything you need.

We are going to see how we can get a job so that we can support you and support

your family. Here I have a Bible that I am going to share with you.

So that, well, now they don't have a physical weapon, now they have a

weapon. So, I bless you in the name of Jesus.

And let's go, I'll accompany you.

Sometimes it's very sad to see how when we share the word and advise

many of these young people, many of them don't make that change that we expect.

But in order for his former gang to leave him alone, he must prove he is 100

committed to God.

They will respect his decision.

But if he's not legit about his new faith, He'll become a target.

Pastor Ricky and a handful of other volunteers are proud to save one life at

time. But Panama continues to struggle with the nation's 200 -plus gangs that

are fueled by the wave of drugs passing through the country every year.

The Caribbean Air and Marine Operations Center in Puerto Rico has spotted a

plane possibly trafficking drugs.

They've reached out to a surveillance aircraft that is now in pursuit of the

target. We also contacted Dominican Republic ground forces, and we also

contacted the U .S. Coast Guard to see if they had a U .S. Coast Guard cutter

asset that's a marine asset to go towards the area since we have an

with Dominican Republic.

I think this aircraft is going towards La Romana.

DNCD is responding in chat that they already have.

Ground elements in the area between La Romana and Boca de Yuma.

9 -1 -Juliet, Saltidoc.

I received information from Dominican Republic authorities and they have

troops between La Romana and Boca de Yuma.

With the Coast Guard cutter in direct contact with the pilot, the team

waits until the aircraft gets a visual of the suspected drug plane.

9 -1 -Juliet, go, sir.

Saltidoc.

As the air and marine plane covertly remains on its tail, the Coast Guard

spots two boats in the area, possibly smugglers waiting for the drop from the

plane.

The cutter quickly changes course and heads in that direction.

But as soon as the narcos in the water see the Coast Guard, they waste no time

and make a clean getaway, leaving the drugs behind.

Tony Fijola just went away.

Roger, who copied RTV. Great

job, sir. We'll be standing by.

After we secure the contraband, that contraband is going to be processed to

see if it's cocaine, heroin, or marijuana, because we don't know yet.

The mission is a success for KMOC and the Coast Guard.

In the last 20 years, they've contributed to the arrest of over 4 ,600

traffickers, with narcos losing $190 billion in profits.

Department of Homeland Security, Office of Air and Marine, and our other

partners that work to support the Caribbean Border Interagency Group are

present and standing by to respond, and definitely they'll think twice about

coming back to this area again.

Back in the Pacific waters, the U .S. Coast Guard is still in pursuit of two

panga -style boats and one fishing vessel that may be trafficking drugs.

The chopper takes off and heads towards the suspects to get a closer

look.

The bird in the sky radios in a description of the

first panga.

The first Panga is cleared.

No signs of fuel drums or drug bales.

The ship and the chopper move on to the next Panga.

Soon, they spot what seems like fishermen on board.

The helo is kind

of corralling everything and triaging it, and then the small boat's going

it.

The Coast Guard officers make

the boarding and begin questioning the crew and inspecting their cargo.

The fishermen

get cleared and the unit is called back to the

ship.

Comic -Con, roger.

The smugglers are still somewhere out there.

The mission continues.

On the next episode of Drug Wars, the U .S. Coast Guard continues investigating

intel about two pengas and a fishing vessel doing a drug transfer.

We've come across a vessel in a known drug transit zone.

A multinational drug operation begins as Panama joins the mission in

coordination with U .S. law enforcement.