INIA Members Assist in Terrorist Investigation

The INIA is extremely proud of our members who recently conducted investigations on the Amtrak train in Fort Worth and at JFK airport in New York. They were directly responsible for the apprehension of six individuals thought to be involved with those who recently carried out the despicable acts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The investigative techniques, which are taught by INIA, have been responsible, over the years, for the arrest of thousands of criminals involved in crimes other than drug trafficking. Our members armed with interdiction techniques and training, have apprehended murderers, bank robbers, kidnappers and other assorted criminals including terrorists. Last year INIA presented a class in Peru and during a practical exercise arrested a potential terrorist with a hand grenade in his luggage. 

Criminals (including terrorists) display the same characteristics as drug couriers. As many of you recall, it was INIA who provided the characteristics for the FAA's "terrorist profile" which is incorporated into the major airlines reservations systems. INIA is making sure that your training and expertise are not lost in the future. Interdiction officers are far ahead of others in detecting terrorists because we are already experienced in working the nations transportation centers. INIA is hopeful that our leaders will see the wisdom of expanding our interdiction teams at transportation points. There is no need to "reinvent the wheel" when you already have expert teams in place. The appropriate response would be to expand these teams with additional local officers, Federal Agents and Immigration officers. We would not only be addressing the terrorist issue but would have the additional advantage of targeting all the criminals who utilize our transportation facilities.

The recent tragedy at The World Trade Center and penetration of our airport security systems will certainly have a great effect on the members of our organization. If you are assigned to an airport, you are going to see an immediate and substantial decrease in your drug seizures. While we know that the recent "heightening" of security is mostly cosmetic, the perception of the drug organizations will be that they should reroute their couriers through other transportation centers (i.e. bus, Amtrak and parcels). During Desert Storm and the changes in security it brought, we observed a dramatic decrease in drug couriering activity at the airports. This lasted for several months until the drug organization realized that the security again posed no real danger to their couriers. If we are to believe what we read, this perception of "heightened" security may last even longer than it did during Desert Storm. Consequently, the buses, Amtrak, parcels and vehicles will see the traffickers who normally would utilize the airports. 

I'm very proud of the job that you do every day. I believe when the facts come out about airport security many citizens will recognize the valuable contributions you make to their safety every day. After two years of being assaulted in the media, accused of being racists by pro drug groups and often being deserted by the management of your agencies, maybe the tide has turned. Maybe, maybe, you'll get the support you deserve!

Clayton Searle
President
International Narcotics Interdiction Association