Phoenix TSA Behavior Detection Officers' Efforts Lead to Arrest of Individuals with Fake IDs and Outstanding Warrants
News & Happenings
- Click here for more information on TSA's Screening Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) Program
December 18, 2007
In early December, Transportation Security Officers specially trained in behavior detection observed two Phoenix passengers behaving suspiciously as they approached the travel document checking station. Because of their behavior, both passengers were referred for additional screening after they presented their boarding passes and Permanent Resident cards to the TSA document checkers.
During the physical bag and property search, the security officers discovered Social Security cards that appeared to be fraudulent, and summoned law enforcement officers to interview both passengers. Not only were the Social Security cards fraudulent, but so were the Permanent Resident Cards. One of the IDs was listed as belonging to a female. Both passengers were arrested by Phoenix police for forgery.
Through a translator, the passengers stated they had acquired the Permanent Resident Cards from another individual. During their interview with TSA's behavior detection officers, a security officer located at the front of the checkpoint noticed a man showing interest to what was happening inside the checkpoint and notified a police officer. The police officer learned that this individual was connected to the two passengers inside the checkpoint, and interviewed him as well.
The individual was subsequently arrested for his involvement with the two passengers with fraudulent identification cards and for two outstanding warrants. All three individuals were held for investigation by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.
