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10
Common Indicators for Highway Drug Interdiction
By Andrew Hawkes,
Author of Secrets of Successful Highway
Drug Interdiction
In today’s drug smuggling
world, highway drug traffickers are constantly
attempting to think of new an innovative ways
to conceal their contraband from law
enforcement. Little do they realize that the
same methods they come up with have been being
used for decades by their predecessors. Through
thousands of narcotic interdiction arrests by
skilled interdiction officers all over the
country, we have learned many of these traits
and characteristics. Below, I have outlined ten
popular techniques that highway drug
traffickers attempt to use in hopes that they
will successfully get their dope to their
destination. By familiarizing yourself with
some of these tips, you too can increase your
interdiction success. Keep in mind you must
always have probable cause to stop a vehicle.
MASKING ODORS
We have all heard of highway drug smugglers
attempting to use large amounts of air
fresheners in their vehicles. Not only can you
look at for the famous “Christmas Tree” air
fresheners hanging from the rear view mirror
and other places in the vehicle, but you can
also be aware of several other tactics that you
may not have picked up on in the past. For
example, do you notice several bottles of
cologne or perfume in the car, and have they
recently been sprayed prior or during your
traffic stop of the vehicle? Is there a large
bag of scented pipe tobacco, opened, laying in
the vehicle but you notice the driver is
smoking a cigarette? Or maybe you find it odd
that as soon as you stop the car, the driver
lights up a cigarette immediately, filling the
car with smoke, but has no desire to roll down
the windows? These are all examples of masking
the odor on the surface of the stop. Masking
odors placed directly onto packages of
contraband can include animal urine, cayenne
pepper, mustard, animal blood, oil and just
about anything they feel may frighten off a
drug canine or further mask the odor of
contraband.
LAW ENFORCEMENT
STICKERS AND SLOGANS
Most officers know that the “State troopers
association” stickers you see on vehicle are
mailed to random people and solicit money that
often are not associated with any law
enforcement entity. Most experienced officer’s
will also come to determine that most cars they
stop with these stickers do not belong to
anyone in law enforcement. When you stop or see
vehicle traveling across many states with an
abundance of these stickers, be aware that they
will often put these stickers all over their
vehicles, thinking that we as officer’s will
think they are “Officer Friendly”.
RELIGIOUS PARAPHERNALIA
The same goes for religious bumper stickers,
symbols and bibles strategically placed
throughout the vehicle. I once recovered 80
pounds of vacuum-sealed marijuana placed under
the carpet of the vehicle. The driver was
traveling down the interstate with the biggest
bible I have ever seen, lying open on the front
dashboard of his rental car.
RENTAL CAR
AGREEMENTS/PAPERWORK
It has been known for years that drug smugglers
like to rent vehicles to transport drugs. There
are many reasons for this. Often the simple
fact is that there personal cars are old and
not as dependable as a new rental car. Other
reasons include avoiding seizure of their
personal vehicles in the event they are caught
and arrested. Whatever the reason, the rental
agreement paper work can offer several
indicators to the investigating officer that
could end up instrumental in establishing
reasonable suspicion. Questions to ask yourself
when inspecting this paperwork are:
-
Is the driver of the car
listed on the rental agreement?
-
If not, is the person
listed on the rental agreement even in the
vehicle?
-
Can the driver give you
specific details as to who is on the rental
agreement and his
relationship to this person?
-
Does the name listed on
the rental agreement show to have a criminal
history?
-
What city and state was
the rental car rented in and what distance is
that from where you have the vehicle stopped?
-
What day and time was
the rental car rented and how much time has
lapsed since then?
-
What was the mileage
listed when the car was rented and how far
has it traveled since then? Is the mileage
traveled consistent with the occupants’ story
as to where they have traveled?
Another great tool to use
with rental cars can be to contact the rental
agency, identify yourself and explain to them
that you have one of their vehicle pulled over,
several states away from where it was rented,
explain that the renter of the car is not in
the vehicle and possible that the people in the
vehicle may not even know the person that
rented the car. Often times they will ask you
to impound the car for them so they can pick it
up. This gives you, the officer the opportunity
to inventory the contents of the vehicle, thus
discovering any contraband.
SPECIFIC TOOLS USED TO
ACCESS WHERE THE DOPE IS HIDDEN
Many dope smugglers will go to great lengths to
conceal their contraband. What is so funny to
the experienced interdiction officer is that
they leave obvious tools needed to retrieve the
contraband in the silliest of places. I can’t
recall the last time I stopped an honest
citizen carrying a brand new floor jack and a
special tire tool in the front seat of a new
Lincoln town car. I can however, recall
stopping a drug smuggler, with those tools on
the front seat of a new Lincoln that had 160
pounds of marijuana concealed in all four tires
of the vehicle! Look for out of place items
that don’t fit the rest of the surroundings.
MORE THAN ONE CELL
PHONE
Often a drug smuggler will carry multiple cell
phones, that all seem to be ringing at once.
The smuggler may have a personal cell phone, as
well as a cell phone given to him from the
origin of the load, a cell phone from the
contact near the destination and numerous other
middlemen involved in the drug transaction so
that they can all keep tabs on the location.
Look for this as a possible indicator and
question the suspect in detail as to why he has
all these phones and use their answers to build
reasonable suspicion.
CONFLICTING STORIES
A popular subject to that has been taught in
interdiction is the “conflicting stories” that
passengers give as to the purpose and
destination of their interstate travel.
Developing these conflicting stories is
paramount in your investigation. By getting the
suspect’s to give your intricate details that
totally contradict each other not only is an
indicator, but a great tool in reasonable
suspicion.
THE DRIVER IMMEDIATELY
GETS OUT OF THE VEHICLE
This is another post stop indicator that can be
a sign of dope trafficking. In this case, the
subject is trying to distance himself from
something he wants to hide from you. Keep in
mind, this indicator can be a sign of something
less sinister than drug trafficking, e.g. the
subject might be have a weapon in the car, an
open beer, etc.. Either way, there is something
in the car he is hiding. Just as a side note,
if you ask the subject if you can search the
car, and he consents but tries to draw you away
from where he doesn’t want you to look, then
you know the contraband is in a different
location than the one they want you to look in.
Dead giveaway indicator.
CARS THAT DRIVE UNDER
THE SPEED LIMIT
Here is a very easy pre-stop indicator you can
start using immediately. Drug traffickers are
naturally paranoid and their paranoia will make
them do stupid things like drive 10 – 15 miles
under the speed limit. drug haulers generally
will stay in the “slow lane” as well.
OLDER MODEL CARS THAT
ARE IN UNUSUALLY GOOD CONDITION
Often older cars will be used to transport drug
loads, however, what sets them apart is that
they have been very well maintained
mechanically, often have new tires on them and
have been washed and cleaned to help blend in
with the average citizen’s vehicle.
Keep in mind as you go
through this list, an indicator by itself is
not enough to be a sign of drug trafficking.
However, by observing multiple indicators then
you can greatly increase your chances of
finding the mother load. I talk more about
indicators and reasonable suspicion in my book,
Secrets of Successful Highway Drug
Interdiction. As always, stay safe and happy
hunting.
About the Author
Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes has over 17 years of law enforcement experience. He has a BA in Criminal Justice and is currently completing his master’s degree
in Public Administration. Additionally,
he is a graduate of the Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas; has a Master Police Peace Officer Certificate from
the State of Texas; and, has a Police Instructor’s Licenses from the State of Texas.
Currently, Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes is a member of the Collin County Sheriff’s Office (Texas) where he is a
senior sergeant in the patrol operations. Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes is the author
of Secrets of Successful
Highway Interdiction. According to
Sergeant Andrew G. Hawkes, “After 17 years of highway drug interdiction, 500 felony arrests, 5,100 pounds in drug seizures,
and over $20 million (drugs, cash and vehicles), I have learned a lot of drug-busting techniques that I want to share with
you.” His book, Secrets of Successful Highway Interdiction, contains eleven chapters on Highway Drug Interdiction.
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