Customs Frontline ((install)) May 2026

It is 6:00 AM. The tarmac is cold. The scanner screens are humming. And I am standing on what we call the "invisible border"—the Customs frontline.

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. customs frontline

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. It is 6:00 AM

How do I know? They won’t make eye contact. Their knuckles are white on their roller bag. When I ask, "Did you buy anything abroad?" they answer too quickly: "Nothing. No. Nothing at all." And I am standing on what we call

So why do we stay on the frontline?