ABC SEVEN INVESTIGATES DRUG TRAFFICKING IN AND OUT OF LAX. MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES SAY THE AIRPORT HAS BECOME THE DRUG GATEWAY TO THE WORLD. WELCOME BACK. I'M MARC BROWN, I'M JOVANA LARA. >> YOU'RE WATCHING EYEWITNESS NEWS AT FIVE LIVE ON ABC SEVEN, HULU AND WHEREVER YOU STREAM. MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WATCH OVER LAX. SO YOU WOULD THINK ILLEGAL DRUGS WOULD BE EASILY FOUND AND CONFISCATED. BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE. >> THE TRUTH OF WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING AT LAX IS DISTURBING, AND IT'S SOMETHING DRUG TRAFFICKERS HAVE LONG FIGURED OUT. EYEWITNESS NEWS ANCHOR DAVID ONO JOINING US NOW WITH THIS EXCLUSIVE REPORT. AS WE HEAD INTO THE BUSY TRAVEL SEASON, WE HAVE MADE A SOBERING DISCOVERY. THE NEXT TIME YOU HEAD TO LAX, YOU NEED TO KNOW THE PLANE YOU'LL BE BOARDING COULD BE LADEN WITH ILLEGAL DRUGS. CARTELS ARE FREELY USING THE PLANES THAT WE ALL RIDE ON TO DELIVER THEIR GOODS. AND IN THIS EXCLUSIVE REPORT, WE ASKED THE QUESTION, WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR STOPPING THIS? AND YOU'LL BE SHOCKED WITH THE ANSWER. LAX. 80 MILLION PEOPLE TRAVEL THROUGH HERE EVERY YEAR. ADD TO THAT ANOTHER 50,000 CREDENTIALED WORKERS PER DAY, AND YOU HAVE AN ENORMOUS, COMPLICATED ECOSYSTEM. AND AMIDST ALL THIS, ENERGY IS A MASSIVE PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN BUILDING FOR YEARS, AND NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT IT. >> LISTEN TO ME, FOLKS. >> EXCEPT FOR A SHERIFF 2000 MILES AWAY AS A HERD OF CATTLE, BASK OF THE SUN JUST OUTSIDE OF HIS OFFICE. LONG TIME POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA SHERIFF GRADY JUDD DELIVERS A SOBERING MESSAGE TO BIG CITY LA OVER AND OVER AND OVER ON THESE DOMESTIC AIRLINES FROM LAX THROUGH SUITCASES, DRUGS WERE SMUGGLED HERE. >> THAT'S RIGHT. LOOK AT THIS. >> THROUGH GOOD POLICE WORK, SHERIFF JUDD CRACKS AN ENORMOUS DRUG RING AND IN HIS OWN SPECIAL WAY, ILLUSTRATES THE PROBLEM. >> ON ONE OCCASION, ON ONE AIRLINE, SIX SUITCASES WITH THIS DRUG WAS SMUGGLED INTO ORLANDO. THEY DIDN'T SO MUCH AS THROW A PAIR OF UNDERWEAR IN THE SUITCASE TO ACT LIKE THEY WERE HIDING THE DRUGS. YOU THINK LAX IS GOT A DRUG SMUGGLING PROBLEM? >> THIS INVESTIGATION BEGAN FOUR YEARS AGO, AND LITTLE HAS CHANGED. WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THIS BUST? IT'S SO EASY NOT TO BE CAUGHT. >> WE SEE DRUGS POURING OUT OF LAX. THE TRAFFICKERS KNOW THIS THIS WAS NOT A ONE OFF EVENT. THIS WAS A EVERY DAY EVENT DURING THE OPERATION, THEY USE THIS MULTI MULTIBILLION DOLLAR TRAVEL INDUSTRY AS THEIR GO TO MOVE DRUGS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY. WE WOULD HAVE TO BE NAIVE NOT TO THINK THAT THERE'S OTHER MAJOR SMUGGLING OPERATIONS GOING ON. JUST LIKE THIS. AND WE'RE ONE COUNTY SHERIFF DOING ONE INVESTIGATION. ALLEN AND EXTRAPOLATE THAT OVER THE UNITED STATES. >> AND WE DID. SHERIFF JUDD IS RIGHT. OUR INVESTIGATION HAS UNCOVERED DRUG CASES ACROSS THE US AND THE GLOBE, ALL ORIGINATING OUT OF LAX. >> WELCOME BACK TO SUNRISE. THE AFP ARRESTED THREE WOMEN WHO HAD FLOWN IN FROM LOS ANGELES, EACH WITH THEM ACCUSED OF HIDING AROUND TEN KILOGRAMS OF THE DRUG IN CLOTHING IN THEIR LUGGAGE. >> ACCORDING TO MULTIPLE LAW ENFORCEMENT SOURCES, LAX LIKELY IS A DRUG TRAFFICKING HUB OF THE WORLD. SO THIS ISN'T LOS ANGELES PROBLEM. IT'S EVERYONE'S INCLUDING POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA. BUT WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR STOPPING IT? IS ONLY ENTITY THAT'S CAPABLE OF DOING THE POLICING? NO IT HAS TO BE EVERYONE. >> TSA HAS GOT A MONUMENTAL TASK IN FRONT OF THEM. THEY SCREENED THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND DO A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB. BUT TSA CAN'T DO IT ALL. >> OUR SEARCH AUTHORITY IS VERY, VERY NARROW. SO WE SEARCH FOR WEAPONS, INCENDIARIES AND EXPLOSIVES, AND WE WANT TO KEEP THOSE OUT OF BAGS AND OFF OF PLANES. >> JASON PANTAGES IS THE HEAD OF THE TSA AT LAX. SO HOW DOES SEARCHING FOR DRUGS PLAY INTO THE TSA? SO WE DON'T SEARCH FOR NARCOTICS, AS I SAID, WE SEARCH FOR WEAPONS, INCENDIARIES, AND EXPLOSIVE. >> AND AGENT SAYS LAX IS THE BUSIEST ORIGINATION AND DESTINATION AIRPORT IN THE WORLD. THEY DEAL WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BAGS AND PEOPLE A DAY. HE SAYS SEARCHING FOR DRUGS CANNOT BE PART OF THEIR JOB. >> WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. WE'RE TRANSPORTATION SECURITY OFFICERS . BUT WE CAN'T SEARCH FOR CRIMINAL, ACTIVITY. IT'S NOT WITHIN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO WITH WITH OUR SEARCH AUTHORITY. >> UNDERSTAND THAT MOST BAGS ARE EXAMINED BY TSA, BUT IT MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK. THERE'S A SCREENING PROCESS WE ALL WALK THROUGH TO GET ON A PLANE THROUGH X RAYS. THE TSA LOOKS INSIDE OUR CARRY ONS, AND THEN THERE'S THE BAGS WE CHECK IN. >> THOSE BAGS GO THROUGH, WHAT WE CALL AN EXPLOSIVES DETECTION SYSTEM OR AN EDS MACHINE. IT'S NOT LIKE AN X RAY MACHINE AT A CHECKPOINT WHERE AN OFFICER IS LOOKING AT EACH INDIVIDUAL BAG. >> IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S NO HUMAN LOOKING INSIDE. IF THE EDS MACHINE DOESN'T DETECT EXPLOSIVES, THE BAG KEEPS MOVING . BUT THERE ARE OCCASIONS WHERE THE TSA DOES FIND DRUGS. >> THE FIRST THING WE WOULD DO IS NOTIFY LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS LA EXP'D ANY CRIMES THAT ARE COMMITTED ON THE PROPERTY. >> WE INVESTIGATE THOSE CRIMES. WE ALSO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THE AIRPORT IS SECURE. >> LAPD CHIEF CECIL RAMBO HAS A LONG LIST OF RESPONSIBILITIES, FROM CHECKPOINTS TO THEFT TO ASSAULTS TO PARKING VIOLATIONS. AND OF COURSE, ILLEGALLY TRAFFICKED DRUGS. BUT LOOKING INTO THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BAGS PER DAY IS NOT THEIR JOB. OUR BAGS ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. >> NO BAGS, NOT BAGS ARE TSA. >> SO I HAVE A TEAM OF AGENTS WHO ARE ASSIGNED TO LAX. >> MATTHEW ALLEN IS THE SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE OF THE DEA. L.A. HIS AGENTS PLAY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN CRACKING DOWN ON DRUG SMUGGLERS AT THE AIRPORT, AND A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO IS INVESTIGATIVE, RIGHT, A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO IS TRY TO STOP THE NARCOTICS BEFORE THEY EVER ACTUALLY EVEN MAKE IT TO LAX. >> SO PART OF THE DILEMMA IS IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LOOK AT THE BAGS FOR AND WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS, THEN WHO SHOULD BE DOING THIS? >> WE ALL HAVE OUR ROLES TO PLAY. RIGHT, SCREENING IS NOT THE ROLE OF DEA. >> AS A GENERAL RULE, IF THERE'S A CALL OUT FOR DRUGS AT THE AIRPORT, MY TEAM WOULD NOT RESPOND. WE RESPOND TO VERY SPECIFIC TYPES OF DRUG INCIDENTS AT THE AIRPORT. >> DAVID GATES IS WITH THE FBI WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS AT LAX. THEY RESPOND TO ONLY TWO KINDS OF CRIMES. WHEN AIRPORT EMPLOYEES TRY TO USE THEIR CREDENTIALS TO SNEAK DRUGS PAST CHECKPOINTS, OR IF ILLEGAL DRUGS ARE FOUND ON THE CABIN OF A PLANE, BUT ONLY IF THE DOORS TO THE CABIN HAVE BEEN SHUT. IF THEY ARE OPEN, THAT'S LA EXP'D. >> IT'S COMPLICATED. IT'S COMPLICATED BECAUSE THIS AIRPORT IS SO COMPLICATED. >> WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 40 SPECIAL AGENTS THAT, RESIDE THERE ON A DAILY BASIS. >> JOHN PACÍFICO WITH HOMELAND SECURITY OR CI, SAYS THEY HAVE AN ARMY OF AGENTS AT LAX HOPING TO CRACK PRIMARILY INTERNAL NATIONAL DRUG CASES, MUCH LIKE THE DEA. THEIR PRIORITY IS INVESTIGATION. THEY DON'T SEARCH THROUGH THE MASSES OF BAGS EITHER. IT SEEMS TO BE A GRAY AREA ON WHO'S REALLY IN CHARGE OF STOPPING DRUGS FROM GOING THROUGH LAX. >> I THINK ALL THE AGENCIES THAT WORK THERE, I THINK WE HAVE A GREAT WORKING RELATIONSHIP. I THINK ONE OF THE MAIN ISSUES IS JUST STRICTLY VOLUME. >> YOU SEE THE PROBLEM, EVERYONE IS DOING THEIR JOB AND DOING IT WELL, BUT IT SEEMS NO ENTITY IS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SEARCHING ALL THOSE BAGS FOR DRUGS. EVEN THE DOGS AT THE AIRPORT. THE MAJORITY ARE SEARCHING FOR EXPLOSIVES, NOT DRUGS. THE CARTELS FIGURED ALL THIS OUT YEARS AGO AND THAT'S WHY WE NO LONGER SEE LITTLE CESSNAS DELIVERING DRUGS TO SECRET AIRSTRIPS. >> WE'VE NOT SEEN AN AIRPLANE, A SMALL AIRPLANE FLYING TO A CLANDESTINE STRIP IN DECADES, AS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS ALREADY IN PLACE, THE DRUG DEALERS DON'T HAVE TO CREATE THE INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S HERE. >> AND WE WANT TO THANK OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WHO WERE WILLING TO FACE SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS. AND THEY TOO WANT SOLUTIONS. IT IS CLEARLY A PROBLEM THAT DEMANDS THE ATTENTION OF GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP. IT HAS GONE ON FOR WAY TOO LONG AND THE STORY IS NOT OVER. WHAT'S HAPPENING AT LAX IS A SYMPTOM OF AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM THAT HAS TO DO WITH LOS ANGELES ITSELF. SO JOIN US FOR THAT PART OF THE INVESTIGATION ON FRIDAY. BUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE MAKE THAT ASSUMPTION THAT YOUR BAG IS LOOKED AT FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS CONTRABAND WEAPONS AND DRUGS, BUT HAS NEVER BEEN THE CASE. CARTELS FIGURED THAT OUT YEARS AGO, AND THEY'VE BEEN USING OUR AIRPORTS TO DISTRIBUTE THEIR GOODS. HAVE ANY OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS YOU'VE TALKED TO TALKED ABOUT WHAT SORT OF MANPOWER IT WOULD TAKE TO BEGIN TO DO THE TO UNDERTAKE THE PROCESS OF SEARCHING FOR DRUGS? >> YEAH, THEY NEED RESOURCES. >> A LOT OF THEM. THEY NEED A LOT OF DOGS. DOGS ARE ONE OF THE BEST WEAPONS WHEN IT COMES TO SNIFFING OUT DRUGS. BUT AS I SAID, THE VAST MAJORITY OF DOGS RIGHT NOW ARE EXPLOSIVE DETECTING DOGS, NOT DRUG DETECTING DOGS. THEY HAVE A HANDFUL. THEY NEED A WHOLE LOT MORE. THAT'S ONE WAY TO START. BUT THERE'S A LONG WAY TO GO. YEAH BUT IT SEEMS LIKE NONE OF THE AGENCIES ARE TASKED WITH LOOKING AT THE BAGS. >> SO THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. A NEW AGENCY, I DON'T KNOW. >> THAT'S WHY WE SAY IT'S GOVERNMENTAL LEADERSHIP THAT NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. MAYBE SOME OF THE SECRETARIES, MAYBE IT'S CONGRESS, BUT SOMEBODY NEEDS TO KIND OF TAKE ON THE BURDEN OF LOOKING AT ALL THOSE BAGS. YEAH. >> VERY TROUBLING. YEAH. >> SO MANY PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR LIVES BECAUSE OF DRUGS LIKE FENTANYL THAT ARE COMING
