Aviation Security ASCI 202 - Miguel Garcia

Drug Smuggling in Aviation

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has established multiple layers of security to ensure the safety of travelers and transportation systems. The TSA does a great job at reducing possible threats within airports by observing and detecting abnormalities. The TSA often relies on the use of canines and technology in the form of cameras, metal detectors, and x-ray machines to find prohibited objects or substances. It is no secret that the TSA has been severely understaffed for a while now. Realistically, the TSA cannot keep up with everything happening at an airport. Unfortunately, criminals are always looking for ways to break the law and TSA agents are not always able to catch everything. 

    Drug smuggling at airports is not a new concept. For decades, smugglers have gone to great lengths to try and sneak narcotics into airports. Recently at the Los Angeles International Airport, a TSA Officer was sent to prison for attempting to smuggle methamphetamine. The TSA employee was suspected of stashing backpacks in the men's restroom ahead of the terminal's security checkpoints. I know this does not represent the TSA as a whole, but how can we know that personnel aren’t doing this at other airports? 

      I believe this example to be a significant breach in national security, criminals could continue to use this weak point to smuggle drugs by bribing TSA employees. It is a shame that an agent who is trusted with ensuring safety would go to such extents. I think providing better training for employees as well as offering competitive wages could prevent TSA employees from defecting. Additionally, investing in new technologies, increasing surveillance, and hiring more employees would help strengthen the TSA’s efforts. Of course this all requires funding but I sincerely think adding more funding to the TSA makes sense because they operate in a growing travel industry.

 Resources

Former TSA officer sentenced to nearly 6 years in federal prison for attempting to smuggle methamphetamine through lax. Central District of California | Former TSA Officer Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Methamphetamine Through LAX | United States Department of Justice. (2022, December 9). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdca/pr/former-tsa-officer-sentenced-nearly-6-years-federal-prison-attempting-smuggle

Layers of security. Layers of Security | Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.tsa.gov/news/press/factsheets/layers-security

Naylor, B. (2021, May 18). TSA has been underfunded, understaffed while overseeing pipeline cybersecurity. NPR. Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.npr.org/2021/05/18/997983710/tsa-has-been-underfunded-understaffed-while-overseeing-pipeline-cybersecurity

Stopping smugglers how CBP's Aircraft Search Team uncovers internal conspiracies with the airlines. U.S. Customs and Border Protection. (n.d.). Retrieved April 13, 2023, from https://www.cbp.gov/frontline/stopping-smugglers-how-cbps-aircraft-search-team-uncovers-internal-conspiracies-airlines