Cartel Traps - The Basics

CARTEL TRAPS — THE BASICS

**Cartel Traps: The Basics** is an entry-level vehicle search course designed to give law enforcement officers a strong foundation in conducting thorough, systematic vehicle searches.

Before officers can effectively identify sophisticated hidden compartments, they need to understand **where contraband is commonly concealed and how to properly clear the natural voids already built into a vehicle.** The Basics focuses on those fundamentals and teaches officers how to move beyond a quick visual search and begin recognizing the areas smugglers routinely exploit.

Students learn a **systematic approach to searching vehicles from front to back**, with an emphasis on identifying and clearing commonly overlooked natural voids, recognizing basic indicators of concealment, understanding what should appear factory, and knowing when an area deserves a closer look.

The course uses **real-world photographs, videos, examples, and case studies** to demonstrate common concealment locations and practical search techniques that officers can immediately apply in the field.

Designed with the **patrol officer in mind**, The Basics is an excellent starting point for officers with limited interdiction or vehicle-search experience, while also serving as a valuable refresher for experienced officers who want to strengthen their search fundamentals.

The goal is simple: **stop searching only what you can see and start understanding where you need to look.**

**Build the foundation. Dig deeper. Clear the Voids.**

*Training restricted to sworn law enforcement personnel.*