Exchange Cooperative Efforts Board

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Hearing

"Ten Years After 9/11: Preventing Terrorist Travel."

Jul 14, 2011 (Congressional Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- Introduction Chairman Lieberman, Senator Collins, and other distinguished Members, thank you for the opportunity to appear before the Committee to highlight the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) work in preventing and countering terrorist travel. Preventing terrorists from traveling to or remaining undetected in the United States is a significant priority for the Department, and I commend the Committee for holding this and associated hearings, examining the progress that has been made since the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.

Ten years ago, screening of passengers coming to the United States was limited to the Department of State visa process, if applicable, and the inspection of a person by an immigration officer at the port of entry, plus whatever processes were applied at foreign airports and by foreign governments. Provision of advance passenger information was voluntary and, even when provided by air carriers, frequently contained inaccurate or inconsistent data. There was no biometric collection for visa applicants beyond photographs, nor for aliens seeking admission to the United States. There was very limited pre-departure screening of passengers seeking to fly to the United States and there was virtually no screening of any kind for domestic flights beyond airport checkpoints. There was no advance screening of passengers seeking admission under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and interagency sharing of information on terrorist threats was minimal.

Today, in response to both 9/11 and evolving threats, and with the help and support of Congress, we have significantly adapted and enhanced our ability to detect and interdict threats at the earliest opportunity. All air and sea passengers intending to travel to the United States under the VWP must now obtain an electronic travel authorization before boarding a carrier for travel to the United States through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) program, which screens passengers against various government databases and has virtually digitized the Form I-94W for authorized travelers from participating VWP countries. Additionally, all passengers seeking to fly to, from, or within the United States are similarly screened prior to boarding an aircraft under the Secure Flight program. For non-citizens, passengers' biometrics are collected and checked against terrorist watch lists prior to being issued a visa or being permitted to enter the United States, and agencies share information on known or suspected terrorists with each other. Further, we have developed new capabilities and systems (such as our Advanced Targeting System and Behavioral Detection program) to help identify possible terrorists who may be 'unknown' to us, but who seek to travel to or within the United States to do harm.

Commercial Bus Companies Smuggling Drugs Through Out the Americas ...

Commercial Bus Companies Smuggling Drugs Through Out the Americas

Indicted for drug trafficking are the owners/operators of commercial bus companies operating from Mexico into the Rio Grande Valley to numerous U.S. cities and their drivers, have been indicted for transporting large loads of marijuana and cocaine in specially modified commercial buses and using money laundering techniques.

According to the U.S. government the indictment, recently unsealed, describes the use of specially modified commercial buses by alleged drug traffickers interested in smuggling contraband into the United States from Monterrey, Mexico, or transporting contraband from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston and Dallas, Texas; Allentown, Pa.; Joliet, Ill. and elsewhere. The indictment alleges the owners or managers of the Transtar, Neptune Tours, Los Primos, USA-MEX and Ameri-Mex commercial bus companies, with offices and terminals in Monterrey, Mexico and Rio Grande City, Roma, San Antonio and Houston, Texas, used their various companies as a front for their drug transport services, and hired drivers and loaders to transport the illegal cargo in hidden compartments built into the bus or in areas not accessible to the public. In exchange for the services, the indictment alleges the owners/managers of the bus companies received thousands of dollars in kickbacks from the proceeds of the drug loads from which they drew their share and paid the drivers and loaders. According to the indictment, this drug transport service has been in operation since at least November 2001 and is responsible for transporting hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, thousands of pounds of marijuana from the border to points north and millions of dollars in drug proceeds south to Mexico. OCEDTF Operation Road King II targeted this organization beginning in 2001 and through the use of tried and true investigative techniques, communication, coordination and cooperation, ultimately established a more sophisticated undercover operation. Through that undercover operation, more than 570 kilograms of cocaine, 3,000 plus pounds of marijuana and the thousands of dollars in cash have been seized. Additionally, this multi-agency investigative effort has lead to arrests in and the seizure of 200 kilograms of cocaine in Allentown and 1,100 pounds of marijuana in Joliet. Information gathered through the investigation was shared with law enforcement agencies in other U.S. cities including New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida and Maryland.

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