To Catch a Smuggler (TV Series 2020– ) Poster

(2020– )

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6/10
These officers are unbearable!
nikareviews14 February 2023
This show is definitely interesting and a good pastime watch, but dear god the show makes these officers looks like unbearable people. This show somehow manages to make me feel bad for the travelers.

These officers hound and harass these foreign nationals on a "hunch" and drive up the most ridiculous line of questioning for these people and wonder why they're acting suspicious. There is an extreme lack of empathy and people skills from these officers it almost makes it unbearable to watch. Never in my life would I wish these interactions on someone else! Sending people home cause their stories don't add up to them, or questioning people for hours because they're fidgeting with their bag/looking suspicious is ridiculous. I get they're just doing their job but have some empathy! The show is also extremely edited beyond belief. Good watch but these officers are very unlikable.
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7/10
Interesting unlike other reviewers say
fajarsantoso6 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I guess I am just one of the few reviewers who likes the show amd watched every episode.

Of course you can bash all these officers but would you do any better? It's easy to judge if you are watching everything from the side line (or in this case behind your screen) but these officers do try to keep American safe.

What stunned me the most is what little they catch. Then again, if 10 officers all watch one subject to be questioned, no wonder they check so few people. Nevertheless, fun show to watch.
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6/10
did an opposite job of what it was intended for
maciej-slo9 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Overall its a pretty decent documentation series, it shows the daily struggles, and methods CBP agents use in their work. In most episodes we follow a team of agents during their shift and have them describe what they are doing. Nevertheless I think the show did an opposite job of what it was intended for. Even heavy editing could hide the size of egos, ignorance and how rude people work there.

In this show you can see:
  • CBP harassing and accusing a disabled 80+ man on a wheelchair
  • CBP holding a guy for hours, accusing him over and over, intimiadting and finding nothing
  • CBP putting a student on a no fly list over a piece of marijuana size of a ant (found by a dog)
  • CBP digging through peoples luggage and digging through their stuff because they "did not like them"
  • CBP digging through people personal messages on phones in order to find anything intimidating and usually not finding nothing
  • CBP denying entry to US to some people basing on vague premise
  • CBP using laughable investigation methods like asking people "do you know Ignacio" in order to link them to potential smuggling attempt ...like the is a single person named Ignacio in the world


You can really see what happens when ignorant people are put in a position where they can arbitrary decide of others fate, and they get no supervision.
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9/10
Officers doing a great job
mylaika-4278317 February 2022
I want to see more dog teams. The Officer's are doing a great job under difficult conditions. People lie and bring they shouldn't. Some of the officers could be a little more courteous but some are absolutely wonderful and make it a little easier for cranky travelers. Nice show but add more dog teams please!
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8/10
HSI Agent Walter
rachjpatch21 April 2022
That is a man who you know has worked hard to get where he is. I love this guy!

As a frequent traveler, I will say that it is frightening whenever there is a chance of getting "pulled aside." Basic psychology will tell you that a passenger will take emotional cues from the Officers. They have no "bed side manner. This needs to be worked on. Trust me, post 9-11, my people were the poster children for DHS.

Still love me some Agent Walter, though!!
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10/10
LOVE THIS SHOW!!
piggyann-1573329 January 2024
I have a lot of favorite CBP agents, but Agent Brito is the best and rocks. I watch the show weekly and always hope to catch Agent Brito. It makes me wish I was young enough to do the job, especially if I could work with her. Keep doing a fabulous job Agent Brito. You help keep us all safer. All the other agents help too. 😊 I would sincerely like to meet you some day. My AF Veteran husband is originally from New England and we visit as often as possible. We'd only be a hop and a jump from your airport. I may have to do all of the next road trip planning so I can meet you. I know my husband all too well after 30 years, and I wouldn't put it past him to set up a joke with you just to see me put in cuffs. 😄 To quote you from episode S1 Ep6 that I'm watching this evening, "I can be very nice until I find something wrong." Then you handcuffed a man that had cans filled with cocaine instead of soup. You very good at your job, and smooth.

All of you stay safe, and thank you so much for your service and all you do.

Sharon C. From Minnesota.
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3/10
CBP agents look like a joke!
chiguy1720 April 2021
Ok, the first few episodes I thought were pretty interesting and started binge watching it, but the more you watch it, the more you realize how heavily edited it is and what a farce the CBP seem to be. Not only do scenes/cases from previous episodes somehow pop up in other episodes (I guess they ran short?), but if you watch enough episodes, you can see how much the agents are just taking shots in the dark.

I will admit, they do find a decent amount of contraband, but that's just because they stop and search such a high number of people.

The VAST majority of the time, they just stop passengers on "a hunch". They've just "got a feeling" or the passenger "seems nervous", or something else completely arbitrary and unquantifiable.

Ok: 1) Some people are just anxious - there's a legitimate disorder called Generalized Anxiety Disorder where you're just nervous (pretty much all the time) for no specific reason. Place someone with that disorder in a stressful situation (like traveling - especially to a foreign country) and their anxiety is going to be through the roof. They even had a guy who said he had an anxiety disorder, and the officer mocked him, saying, "Yeah, I get anxious too." Obviously they have no idea what they're talking about or they wouldn't compare the two.

2) If you're in an airport in a foreign country and all of the sudden, officers are pulling you aside and asking you tons of questions (in a foreign language) WITH TV cameras on you, no matter how innocent you are, you're gonna be nervous and sweating!

They pull these passengers aside on a whim and start belligerently asking them all these questions (that they really don't have a right/reason to ask), and detain them if they don't like the answers or if the person seems fidgety. They just keep pressing them and pressing them, but at the same time ask why they're so nervous. Maybe because they're being badgered just for coming off a plane?

What's funny (and probably happens WAY more often than shown). They'll detain a guy for hours, CERTAIN that he's smuggling something. They'll use all sorts of tactics to try illicit a confession (intimidation, good cop/bad cop, threats, etc), and just keep up the pressure.

After having torn apart their luggage (including cutting the bag apart) without finding anything, officers will make them do a body scan (x-ray). I've only seen the x-ray reveal contraband in a passenger's stomach ONCE. All the other times it's just proof the traveler isn't hiding anything, and the officers were just completely misreading the body language.

Even when they come up empty, they won't admit they're wrong or apologize; they just say, "Well, maybe we didn't find anything THIS time, but you can never be too careful. The x-ray may have missed it, but we don't have anything to hold them on." Then they have the gall to say, "Welcome to the US," after having just harassed a foreign national w/o as much as a coupon for a free Cinnabon or flight voucher.

Really, the few people they legitimately catch outright are idiots who didn't even spend 5 minutes trying to think of a plausible cover story as to where they're from, where they're going, and why.

And when those people do come clean and try to cooperate, the agents ACTIVELY dissuade them from seeking legal advice. A person will say, "I'm willing to cooperate, but I think I should have a lawyer." The officers HEAVILY insinuate if they're truthful, they won't get into trouble, and when the suspect mentions counsel, they shut it down. "It's your right to have a lawyer, but that means we can't talk anymore. If you talk, I can help you, but if you want a lawyer, we can't talk - you can't do both." Which is a blatant lie. Yes, questioning has to stop until counsel arrives, but the suspect can still speak to and cooperate with the authorities.

Honestly, I'm surprised none of the officers have faced any lawsuits for unlawful detention, intimidation, or any number of other violations.

Even when they show the officers who are just going through incoming parcels and not dealing with people, they will cut apart and drill into merchandise, ON A HUNCH, and come up empty. Who pays for that stuff??
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9/10
Most officers are excellent
jmm-2430015 February 2024
As a reply to the people 'concerned' about people's right to privacy, bug off. If you've ever flown abroad you'll see how easy we are. No foreigner should expect to have our constitutional rights. A citizen, deal with it. How do they know you are a citizen until they ask questions? They're not breaking down your door and your returning from 'hot' spots can be a problem for many more people than your momentary inconvenience. We live in dangerous times with many enemies. Finally, remember these officers are people, not actors used to being on camera. Being in the public limelight makes a person self conscious, so cut 'em some slack.
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9/10
Keeping our country safe
johnglaza31 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I have recently been watching the To Catch a Smuggler series episodes from 2020 through 2023. It is clear that Homeland Security, who has taken over complete control of the U. S. border porter ports of entry from various agencys who had previous responsibilities. The agents employed in the various ports are well-versed in the different techniques smugglers of illicit drugs, antiquities, firearms and cash use to avoid detection. They are very professional and often do use "hunches" to detect anomalies in the Suspect's stories and appearances. The equipment they have installed to aid in detection of contraband over the last 2 years has very much upped the chance of catching smuggled goods from both individuals and multinational cartels. In truth, this series is very addictive in and of itself.
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3/10
Fontana couldn't be a mall cop
jtponle19 August 2023
This Fontana guy really thought he had the south African guy nailed. Fontana would have been the 1st to crucify someone back in those days. He makes Craig and DayDay look legit. Dude was licking his chops thinking that the traveler was gonna drop the pallets. And Nothing. What a waste of time. But I'm glad the show played it through, even if it was a slow day for smuggling. Fontana needs better training, maybe the Dog could hold a seminar,and Fontana be required to attend, complete with an exam that he must score a minimum of eighty per cent. I started reporting for the traveler after five minutes of this guy.
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