Airport Security: USA
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Play S1 E1Every 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.
Cast: Dan Nachtrab
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Season 1
12 episodes
1. Episode 1At 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?CC42minApr 8, 2025
2. Episode 2At 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?CC42minApr 15, 2025
3. Episode 3Officers 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.CC42minApr 22, 2025
4. Episode 4A 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.CC42minApr 29, 2025
5. Episode 5At 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.CC42minMay 6, 2025
6. Episode 6A 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.CC42minMay 13, 2025
7. Episode 7A 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.CC42minMay 20, 2025
8. Episode 8A 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.CC42minMay 27, 2025
9. Episode 9A 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.CC42minJun 3, 2025
10. Episode 10A 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.CC42minJun 10, 2025
11. Episode 11A 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.CC42minJun 17, 2025
12. Episode 12A 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.CC42minJun 24, 2025
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Airport Security: USA
20251 season12 episodesReturning Series
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.
Creators and cast
- Created by
- Lindsey Foster Blumberg, Cary Bell, Stewart Morris, Kori Frederick
- Cast
- Dan Nachtrab
- Studio
- BossaNova Media, Stampede Productions
Maturity rating
Not yet rated.
Audio languages
English
Where to watch
Not currently listed on any streaming, rental or purchase service.
