"3 SFO security screeners charged with smuggling cocaine"
#1
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"3 SFO security screeners charged with smuggling cocaine"
I know, they're contractor clerks, but they still are part of the TSA.
Doing a Saturday night search of the news websites and this made my day:
Jeepers -- The bolded phrase kinda' tells me that the TSA really does search for drugs. Maybe I'm wrong; I went to public school.
Doing a Saturday night search of the news websites and this made my day:
Three San Francisco International Airport security screeners could face life sentences after they were arrested on charges of defrauding the government and smuggling cocaine, the Department of Justice announced Friday.
All three workers were current or former employees of a private company named Covenant Aviation Security that contracts with the Transportation Security Administration to carry out security screening at SFO, officials said.
<snip>
The three charged a fee to look the other way while airport passengers smuggled real and simulated cocaine through security checkpoints, according to the indictment. Between May 2013 and April 2014, they allowed certain passengers with narcotics in their carry-ons to pass through the X-ray machine without checking for security threats like explosives or weapons.
Through undercover operations by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the TSA Office of Inspection, agents learned smugglers paid a fee to the officers so that when they arrived at checkpoints they were directed to lines with one of the involved officials. Every time, the officer viewing the X-ray either saw the bag needed a second inspection or knew the bag contained drugs and let them proceed. Department of Justice officials said.
All three workers were current or former employees of a private company named Covenant Aviation Security that contracts with the Transportation Security Administration to carry out security screening at SFO, officials said.
<snip>
The three charged a fee to look the other way while airport passengers smuggled real and simulated cocaine through security checkpoints, according to the indictment. Between May 2013 and April 2014, they allowed certain passengers with narcotics in their carry-ons to pass through the X-ray machine without checking for security threats like explosives or weapons.
Through undercover operations by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the TSA Office of Inspection, agents learned smugglers paid a fee to the officers so that when they arrived at checkpoints they were directed to lines with one of the involved officials. Every time, the officer viewing the X-ray either saw the bag needed a second inspection or knew the bag contained drugs and let them proceed. Department of Justice officials said.
Last edited by FliesWay2Much; Nov 9, 2015 at 2:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Greensboro
Programs: TSA
Posts: 2,424
I know, they're contractor clerks, but they still are part of the TSA.
Doing a Saturday night search of the new websites and this made my day:
Jeepers -- The bolded phrase kinda' tells me that the TSA really does search for drugs. Maybe I'm wrong; I went to public school.
Doing a Saturday night search of the new websites and this made my day:
Jeepers -- The bolded phrase kinda' tells me that the TSA really does search for drugs. Maybe I'm wrong; I went to public school.
#6
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Location: DFW
Posts: 28,077
Based solely upon my experience as a TSO, the bolded phrase indicates to me that the "average" TSO would normally call a bag check on what they were talking about. Many will claim that we search specifically for "drugs", that is not true (at least in my experience, and based upon the way the regulations/SOPs are written), "drugs" simply look like items we normally call bag checks on. Drug discoveries are (again, based upon my experience and the SOPs) because the bag can not be cleared without some form of bag check - not because we are actively seeking "drugs".
Are TSA x-ray devices really this limited in function?
#7
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 574
...allowed certain passengers with narcotics in their carry-ons to pass through the X-ray machine without checking for security threats like explosives or weapons.
Not to be an ..., but cocaine is not a narcotic, but rather effectively
the opposite of a narcotic, since it is excitatory.
I guess "stimulant" doesn't sound as nefarious to the hoi polloi.
Also, what the Devil was the motivation for smuggling "simulated" cocaine?
Not to be an ..., but cocaine is not a narcotic, but rather effectively
the opposite of a narcotic, since it is excitatory.
I guess "stimulant" doesn't sound as nefarious to the hoi polloi.
Also, what the Devil was the motivation for smuggling "simulated" cocaine?
Last edited by yandosan; Nov 8, 2015 at 8:39 am
#8
Formerly known as I_Hate_US_Airways
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And Another Reason...
To shut down the TSA forever...
91 Billion dollars later & a 95% failure rate in detecting explosives/banned devices, is simply discussing & a complete & utter waste of the taxpayers money )-:
91 Billion dollars later & a 95% failure rate in detecting explosives/banned devices, is simply discussing & a complete & utter waste of the taxpayers money )-:
#9
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Greensboro
Programs: TSA
Posts: 2,424
You stated on the TSA Blog that when marijuana is detected by x-ray it has to be investigated as a threat. Seems pretty clear that TSA's x-ray scanners, with built in software to discriminate between threat items and non-threat items, are incapable of actually discriminating between real threats and non-threat items or TSA is in fact searching specifically for drugs.
Are TSA x-ray devices really this limited in function?
Are TSA x-ray devices really this limited in function?
Original comment
"TSOs do not search specifically for marijuana, however, when it is detected via xray, it has to be cleared as possible threats. "
Correction posted since then
"GSOLTSO sez above - "TSOs do not search specifically for marijuana, however, when it is detected via xray, it has to be cleared as possible threats."
This is a terrible sentence, that should not have been posted, as it is entirely incorrect - the original sentence was "TSOs do not specifically search for marijuana, however, when seen on the xray, it could be determined to be a possible threat and has to be cleared". Somewhere in the process of posting earlier, I seem to have cut and pasted the wrong thing. Sorry for the confusion."
As far as the capabilities of the xray systems, I will give you the link to the TSA page that indicates we use "Advanced Technology X Rays" in the checkpoints https://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/fi...t_080315_0.pdf
PDF warning.
As far as the tech that is actually in them, I can find nothing published on the TSA pages that give specifics, but with a bit of research, I am certain you can find some info on the ones you have seen on your trips through your local airport.
#10
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You are correct, and that was a poorly worded statement, I have gone back and posted a correction in another comment (if you read the original comment, it was actually a cut and paste job gone wrong) .
Original comment
"TSOs do not search specifically for marijuana, however, when it is detected via xray, it has to be cleared as possible threats. "
Correction posted since then
"GSOLTSO sez above - "TSOs do not search specifically for marijuana, however, when it is detected via xray, it has to be cleared as possible threats."
This is a terrible sentence, that should not have been posted, as it is entirely incorrect - the original sentence was "TSOs do not specifically search for marijuana, however, when seen on the xray, it could be determined to be a possible threat and has to be cleared". Somewhere in the process of posting earlier, I seem to have cut and pasted the wrong thing. Sorry for the confusion."
As far as the capabilities of the xray systems, I will give you the link to the TSA page that indicates we use "Advanced Technology X Rays" in the checkpoints https://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/fi...t_080315_0.pdf
PDF warning.
As far as the tech that is actually in them, I can find nothing published on the TSA pages that give specifics, but with a bit of research, I am certain you can find some info on the ones you have seen on your trips through your local airport.
Original comment
"TSOs do not search specifically for marijuana, however, when it is detected via xray, it has to be cleared as possible threats. "
Correction posted since then
"GSOLTSO sez above - "TSOs do not search specifically for marijuana, however, when it is detected via xray, it has to be cleared as possible threats."
This is a terrible sentence, that should not have been posted, as it is entirely incorrect - the original sentence was "TSOs do not specifically search for marijuana, however, when seen on the xray, it could be determined to be a possible threat and has to be cleared". Somewhere in the process of posting earlier, I seem to have cut and pasted the wrong thing. Sorry for the confusion."
As far as the capabilities of the xray systems, I will give you the link to the TSA page that indicates we use "Advanced Technology X Rays" in the checkpoints https://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/fi...t_080315_0.pdf
PDF warning.
As far as the tech that is actually in them, I can find nothing published on the TSA pages that give specifics, but with a bit of research, I am certain you can find some info on the ones you have seen on your trips through your local airport.
Thanks for clearing that up.
Edit to add:
It was your sentence. I'm left wondering if you let the truth slip out and are now trying to clean up the mess you made.
Last edited by Boggie Dog; Nov 8, 2015 at 9:35 pm
#11
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"3 SFO security screeners charged with smuggling cocaine"
I'm going to put a bunch if oregano in a baggie next trip and see what happens.
Last edited by FliesWay2Much; Nov 9, 2015 at 5:00 am
#12
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Based solely upon my experience as a TSO, the bolded phrase indicates to me that the "average" TSO would normally call a bag check on what they were talking about. Many will claim that we search specifically for "drugs", that is not true (at least in my experience, and based upon the way the regulations/SOPs are written), "drugs" simply look like items we normally call bag checks on. Drug discoveries are (again, based upon my experience and the SOPs) because the bag can not be cleared without some form of bag check - not because we are actively seeking "drugs".
One of these days, someone is going to make fun of the TSA screening by transporting sugar packets.
#13
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I'm sure that the highly trained TSO who busted the teenage boy for a joint wrapped in foil was just following SOP and that he had to check to make sure it wasn't nastiness cleverly disguised as a joint.
#14
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#15
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OK, just being ornery and thinking of some of the TSOs I've had the misfortune to encounter...I wonder what would happen if someone rolled a few joints out of oregano and 'artfully concealed' them in tin foil.
Once the TSOs realized it wasn't weed, would they still confiscate the joints because they are lifelike replicas of ...something organic?
Silly but true story.
Flying out of SEA with a daypack and a rollaboard. Both are locked and I get pulled for a bag check. Screener says unlock the rollaboard. OK, but the key for the rollaboard is in the locked daypack. Unlock the daypack, remove the key, unlock the rollaboard. Screener pokes around a bit, discovers my 'artfully concealed' suspicious organic items. He grips each firmly with two hands and squeezes, smiles and says 'Fish, right? We get a lot of folks flying out with salmon.'
They were barbecue sandwiches (on 10-inch hard rolls) from a local eatery. I explained, he smiled, all was well and I was free to go. Other than leaving his handprints indented in the sandwiches (which were gifts), he never opened the paper bag they were in.
Fish? Salmon? lots of people take it home in their carry-on?
Once the TSOs realized it wasn't weed, would they still confiscate the joints because they are lifelike replicas of ...something organic?
Silly but true story.
Flying out of SEA with a daypack and a rollaboard. Both are locked and I get pulled for a bag check. Screener says unlock the rollaboard. OK, but the key for the rollaboard is in the locked daypack. Unlock the daypack, remove the key, unlock the rollaboard. Screener pokes around a bit, discovers my 'artfully concealed' suspicious organic items. He grips each firmly with two hands and squeezes, smiles and says 'Fish, right? We get a lot of folks flying out with salmon.'
They were barbecue sandwiches (on 10-inch hard rolls) from a local eatery. I explained, he smiled, all was well and I was free to go. Other than leaving his handprints indented in the sandwiches (which were gifts), he never opened the paper bag they were in.
Fish? Salmon? lots of people take it home in their carry-on?