Customs Frontline 2021 -

We are the last line before the street, and the first line for the nation.

We call it "targeting." Outsiders call it profiling. I call it pattern recognition. customs frontline

On the frontline, "nothing" is often a red flag. We are the last line before the street,

That’s when the smuggler tries to blend in. A truck driver with a "rush order" who refuses to open the back pallet. A warehouse worker who suddenly has a new Rolex. We work hand-in-hand with police and sniffer dogs here. We cut open stuffed animals, drill into steel shipping containers, and sift through tons of sand looking for fentanyl or fake pills. On the frontline, "nothing" is often a red flag

Wish me luck. And please—just declare the sausages. Have you ever had a surprising experience at Customs? Share your story in the comments below, but maybe leave out the part about the sausages.