1
00:00:00,740 --> 00:00:11,100
(music)
2
00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:13,260
(children laughing)
3
00:00:50,300 --> 00:00:51,780
(music)
4
00:02:05,420 --> 00:02:08,540
SPEAKER: Take this
square world and blast
off for Kicksville.
5
00:02:08,540 --> 00:02:13,060
RICHARD: America's
public enemy number
one is drug abuse.
6
00:02:13,060 --> 00:02:15,340
SPEAKER: Heroin
destroys everything.
7
00:02:15,340 --> 00:02:19,340
MALE: Prescribing pain
pills created huge
numbers of addicts.
8
00:02:19,340 --> 00:02:21,620
PEOPLE: People die!
(inaudible).
9
00:02:21,620 --> 00:02:24,860
SPEAKER: Opium is cash,
it's like you're growing
bills on the bush.
10
00:02:24,860 --> 00:02:29,180
Crime and drug abuse go
hand in hand, it's like
peanut butter and jelly.
11
00:02:29,180 --> 00:02:30,500
KAMALA: There's now
an understanding
12
00:02:30,500 --> 00:02:32,340
that the war on drugs
was an abject failure.
13
00:02:33,740 --> 00:02:36,660
SPEAKER: You have to
stop and ask yourself,
how did we get here.
14
00:02:55,620 --> 00:02:57,340
NEWSREADER: Take a look at
the highlights for today,
15
00:02:57,340 --> 00:03:00,820
New York City, beautiful
day here. 80 degrees
today. Saint Louis 83.
16
00:03:03,940 --> 00:03:07,580
JEFF: September 11th,
2001, started like
every other day.
17
00:03:07,580 --> 00:03:08,660
I was at the gym,
18
00:03:11,540 --> 00:03:14,740
when I heard that a
plane had hit the
World Trade Center.
19
00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:19,460
So I went into the
other room in the gym
and I watched it on TV.
20
00:03:21,900 --> 00:03:23,740
NEWSREADER: It's 8:52
here in New York.
21
00:03:23,740 --> 00:03:28,420
We understand that a
plane has crashed into
the World Trade Center.
22
00:03:32,540 --> 00:03:35,420
JEFF: And then the second
plane hit the tower
23
00:03:35,420 --> 00:03:37,820
and I knew we were
looking at terrorism.
24
00:03:39,460 --> 00:03:40,940
As a Law Enforcement
Officer,
25
00:03:40,940 --> 00:03:43,260
I just wanted to get
there as quickly as
possible,
26
00:03:43,260 --> 00:03:46,340
to help in whatever
way I could.
27
00:03:48,540 --> 00:03:51,140
I jumped in my car and
I put on the red light
28
00:03:51,140 --> 00:03:54,420
and I sped to Manhattan
as quickly as I could.
29
00:03:58,100 --> 00:04:01,220
As I was coming round
the bend on the West
Side highway,
30
00:04:01,220 --> 00:04:05,420
one of the NYP
Detectives said that
the tower was gone.
31
00:04:05,900 --> 00:04:09,100
RADIO COMMUNICATION:
(Inaudible).
32
00:04:09,100 --> 00:04:10,420
SPEAKER: Holy (bleep).
33
00:04:10,420 --> 00:04:11,540
RADIO COMMUNICATION:
(Inaudible).
34
00:04:15,580 --> 00:04:20,140
JEFF: So we were driving
into this huge bellowing
cloud of smoke
35
00:04:20,140 --> 00:04:21,260
with people running around,
36
00:04:25,580 --> 00:04:28,900
just in total fear,
running through the
streets.
37
00:04:30,980 --> 00:04:35,740
MEMBERS OF PUBLIC:
(Screams).
38
00:04:35,740 --> 00:04:37,820
JEFF: I carried
bodies out of debris.
39
00:04:45,460 --> 00:04:48,020
I actually stood
there in the rubble
40
00:04:48,020 --> 00:04:52,820
looking at a hole in
the sky where the
Towers had once stood
41
00:04:52,820 --> 00:04:55,100
and I vowed I was
going to avenge this,
42
00:04:55,100 --> 00:04:57,060
I was going to use
my investigative
skills to go after
43
00:04:57,060 --> 00:05:00,540
the terrorists
who had done this.
44
00:05:08,020 --> 00:05:12,500
My name is Jeffery
James Higgins, I was a
DEA Agent for 20 years.
45
00:05:12,500 --> 00:05:16,420
GEORGE W: We cannot
know every turn this
battle will take,
46
00:05:16,420 --> 00:05:19,020
yet we know our
cause is just
47
00:05:19,020 --> 00:05:20,700
and our ultimate
victory is assured.
48
00:05:25,340 --> 00:05:28,980
My fellow Americans,
let's roll.
49
00:05:56,860 --> 00:06:04,580
JEFF: I knew Afghanistan had
the highest concentration of
terror groups in the world,
50
00:06:04,580 --> 00:06:09,380
and it was also the hub
of all opiate trafficking
in the world.
51
00:06:09,380 --> 00:06:11,060
US SOLDIER: Let's
get out of here.
52
00:06:11,060 --> 00:06:14,020
JEFF: So I suspected that
there was a connection
between terrorism
53
00:06:14,020 --> 00:06:15,940
and narcotics trafficking.
54
00:06:19,020 --> 00:06:21,300
I'd been trying to get
into counter-terrorism
55
00:06:21,300 --> 00:06:25,780
for two and half or
three years but I
hadn't had much luck,
56
00:06:25,780 --> 00:06:30,060
and then DEA re-opened
its office in Afghanistan
57
00:06:30,060 --> 00:06:31,260
and, of course,
I jumped at it.
58
00:06:41,060 --> 00:06:44,940
Flying in between
the mountains and
the Hindu Kush,
59
00:06:44,940 --> 00:06:50,580
the mountains are gorgeous
and there's overwhelming
natural beauty.
60
00:07:05,020 --> 00:07:10,580
And then we landed
and the city of Kabul
opened up before us,
61
00:07:10,580 --> 00:07:14,500
and the smell of
feces and dust
filled the cabin.
62
00:07:16,700 --> 00:07:22,820
It's horrible air quality,
there's smog, you have
this cacophony of sounds.
63
00:07:23,820 --> 00:07:25,740
After years of trying
to get involved,
64
00:07:25,740 --> 00:07:29,660
I was literally going
to the ground zero
for narco-terrorism.
65
00:07:32,860 --> 00:07:37,140
The DEA office in
Afghanistan was a
two man operation,
66
00:07:39,420 --> 00:07:41,500
with myself and
John O'Rourke.
67
00:07:42,980 --> 00:07:47,180
JOHN: Kabul in the early
days really was the
city of the Wild West.
68
00:07:51,620 --> 00:07:56,340
We had no infrastructure,
the comm equipment wasn't
set up.
69
00:07:56,340 --> 00:08:04,900
We had sporadic electricity,
no guns, no case files, no
informant files.
70
00:08:04,900 --> 00:08:07,060
Everything had to be
created from scratch.
71
00:08:08,660 --> 00:08:13,460
And we came to realize
that no-one wanted to talk
about the drug problem.
72
00:08:18,500 --> 00:08:23,180
SOLDIER: They're such
pretty flowers, so
colorful. Right.
73
00:08:23,180 --> 00:08:26,540
JOHN: The military was
very focused on military
objectives
74
00:08:26,540 --> 00:08:30,660
and counter-terrorism,
and they were told,
75
00:08:30,660 --> 00:08:32,620
if they were walking
through a poppy field
76
00:08:32,620 --> 00:08:33,980
while on patrol just
leave it alone.
77
00:08:35,420 --> 00:08:38,780
They did not want to
get involved in the
drug business.
78
00:08:44,380 --> 00:08:48,180
JEFF: I had meetings with
high ranking people in the
intelligence community
79
00:08:48,180 --> 00:08:53,260
who were arguing that
there was no nexus between
drugs and terrorism,
80
00:08:53,260 --> 00:08:56,340
even though all of
DEA's cases generated
in Afghanistan.
81
00:08:56,340 --> 00:09:00,380
We're showing that the
Taliban were being
funded by drugs.
82
00:09:00,380 --> 00:09:02,580
RADIO COMMUNICATION:
(Inaudible).
US SOLDIER: Go.
83
00:09:02,580 --> 00:09:06,860
JEFF: So we had to start by
working with Afghan Counter
Narcotics police officers.
84
00:09:11,980 --> 00:09:12,780
WALEED: It just
came positive.
JEFF: Okay.
85
00:09:21,020 --> 00:09:23,140
JEFF: He was the one
Afghan Police Officer
86
00:09:23,140 --> 00:09:25,820
that we would almost
always take with us
87
00:09:25,820 --> 00:09:29,380
to have the authority
to be able to do what
we were doing.
88
00:09:46,260 --> 00:09:50,140
JEFF: We were trying
to figure out who were
the major players,
89
00:09:50,140 --> 00:09:52,340
who were the terrorists,
90
00:09:52,340 --> 00:09:56,380
who were the drug
traffickers, how were
they working together.
91
00:09:58,060 --> 00:10:00,660
How was the drug trade
actually working in
Afghanistan.
92
00:10:05,380 --> 00:10:07,700
And so we started
developing informants.
93
00:10:09,900 --> 00:10:11,380
JOHN: And what we
were hearing was,
94
00:10:11,380 --> 00:10:13,980
hey you need to go
talk to this gentleman
95
00:10:15,180 --> 00:10:18,660
and he will tell you
about this person,
96
00:10:18,660 --> 00:10:21,020
and you would hear
different names.
97
00:10:21,020 --> 00:10:26,380
But repeatedly from
various sources we
heard one name,
98
00:10:30,100 --> 00:10:33,900
and it became
readily apparent as
we started the game,
99
00:10:33,900 --> 00:10:35,580
more and more
intelligence,
100
00:10:35,580 --> 00:10:39,860
that this guy really was
one of the kingpins
101
00:10:39,860 --> 00:10:41,980
of kingpins in Afghanistan.
102
00:10:42,860 --> 00:10:45,900
JEFF: It would take years
of investigation before
the full breadth
103
00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:48,780
of his organization
was understood.
104
00:10:52,700 --> 00:10:55,740
His name was Haji Bagcho.
105
00:11:02,900 --> 00:11:06,180
When we would try to get
informants to give us
information about him,
106
00:11:06,180 --> 00:11:08,700
people would physically
shake talking about him.
107
00:12:46,820 --> 00:12:50,820
(music)
108
00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:41,220
JEFF: We started
developing informants.
109
00:13:41,220 --> 00:13:43,900
So we'd bring in whoever we
could who wanted to tell us
110
00:13:43,900 --> 00:13:47,220
something about the
criminal underworld that
was in Afghanistan.
111
00:13:51,780 --> 00:13:53,740
And that's what
eventually led us
to Muhammad.
112
00:14:37,580 --> 00:14:39,940
JEFF: This area that we
were in, in Nangarhar,
113
00:14:39,940 --> 00:14:42,780
it was a constant state
of warfare on some level
114
00:14:42,780 --> 00:14:45,300
and people like Muhammad
were sick of it.
115
00:14:45,300 --> 00:14:49,660
He didn't like the Taliban,
he really just wanted
to live a normal life.
116
00:15:10,020 --> 00:15:13,220
JEFF: Bagcho was a
target that we had
looked at for years,
117
00:15:13,220 --> 00:15:15,020
so when we finally
found somebody
118
00:15:15,020 --> 00:15:18,020
who could talk directly
to him, that was exciting.
119
00:15:18,700 --> 00:15:20,020
He was looking to help us,
120
00:15:20,020 --> 00:15:23,420
but he understood by
providing evidence
121
00:15:23,420 --> 00:15:26,820
against the most
powerful heroin
trafficker in the world,
122
00:15:26,820 --> 00:15:29,340
he was going to put
himself and his
family in jeopardy.
123
00:16:12,500 --> 00:16:15,380
JEFF: Bagcho had
heroin production
happening in labs,
124
00:16:15,380 --> 00:16:19,060
big labs down in the
deserts in Helmand
and Kandahar,
125
00:16:19,060 --> 00:16:23,140
but also in the north
in places like Kunduz
and Badakhshan,
126
00:16:23,140 --> 00:16:28,700
and in the East in
Nangarhar which was a
very criminal province.
127
00:16:28,700 --> 00:16:30,660
That's where
Bagcho was from.
128
00:17:13,740 --> 00:17:18,020
JEFF: Afghanistan was the
first time that DEA ever
operated in a war zone.
129
00:17:19,380 --> 00:17:21,700
It meant we didn't have
freedom of movement.
130
00:17:21,700 --> 00:17:24,660
Leaving a base was
exceedingly dangerous
131
00:17:24,660 --> 00:17:26,260
and every time we
left the wire,
132
00:17:26,260 --> 00:17:28,220
we were under
threat of attack.
133
00:17:29,820 --> 00:17:33,180
Oh, (bleep)...
Hey, fire back.
134
00:17:33,180 --> 00:17:35,580
(multiple shots)
135
00:17:35,580 --> 00:17:39,020
JOHN MANNA: DEA created
the FAST team because
136
00:17:39,020 --> 00:17:42,540
they needed a way to
beef up our operations
137
00:17:42,540 --> 00:17:45,620
so they could operate in
a military environment.
138
00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:50,860
Our job was to find a
lab and go smash it.
139
00:17:52,820 --> 00:17:59,140
I was a former Marine,
we had former Army,
Navy, Airforce.
140
00:18:00,140 --> 00:18:02,300
We had two Seals
on my team.
141
00:18:03,700 --> 00:18:07,540
My name is John Manna
and I was with DEA for
over 30 years.
142
00:18:08,940 --> 00:18:12,940
FAST stands for
Foreign-deployed Advisory
and Support Team.
143
00:18:14,820 --> 00:18:17,900
One of the nicknames
for the FAST team was
the Fake ass Seal Team.
144
00:18:19,820 --> 00:18:22,940
We did joke about it but
we were some capable guys.
145
00:18:22,940 --> 00:18:25,700
NEWSREADER: In its own
surge, the DEA has
increased agents
146
00:18:25,700 --> 00:18:29,340
here tenfold in
the last year.
147
00:18:29,340 --> 00:18:31,940
JEFF: The FAST teams
gave us the weaponry
and the training
148
00:18:31,940 --> 00:18:34,540
we needed to operate
in a war zone.
149
00:18:34,540 --> 00:18:39,060
In places where carrying
a Glock handgun and
a shotgun wasn't enough.
150
00:18:41,420 --> 00:18:44,180
We had military grade
weapons and we trained
151
00:18:44,180 --> 00:18:47,460
with the entire Special
Operations community.
152
00:18:47,460 --> 00:18:48,940
UNKNOWN: Let's go!
153
00:18:53,860 --> 00:18:58,020
JOHN MANNA: We hit labs in
Helmand valley and on the
east side of Afghanistan
154
00:18:58,020 --> 00:18:59,660
up in the mountains.
155
00:18:59,660 --> 00:19:03,820
Almost every lab was
controlled by Haji Bagcho.
156
00:19:05,420 --> 00:19:09,180
As soon as you're there
you're starting to wire
it up to blow it up
157
00:19:09,180 --> 00:19:11,180
because you can't be
sitting around waiting
158
00:19:11,180 --> 00:19:14,300
because that's giving the
Taliban time to go ahead
and hit you.
159
00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:21,420
The labs, they all
looked the same.
160
00:19:22,860 --> 00:19:26,820
You're going to see a
lot of 55 gallon drums
filled with water,
161
00:19:26,820 --> 00:19:30,300
you're going to see
some opium, what
they call the press,
162
00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:34,260
that's used to press
out the water.
163
00:19:34,260 --> 00:19:40,100
You could probably put
together an Afghan heroin
lab for under a $100.
164
00:19:40,100 --> 00:19:43,780
Though the labs were
very rudimentary,
165
00:19:43,780 --> 00:19:47,380
they could take opium and
turn it into something
166
00:19:47,380 --> 00:19:50,300
that's very, very valuable.
167
00:19:50,300 --> 00:19:54,180
Probably $90,000 a kilo
if it got to the States.
168
00:20:02,380 --> 00:20:05,820
JOHN MANNA: I've
probably been to
169
00:20:05,820 --> 00:20:09,140
60 or 70 labs at least
170
00:20:09,140 --> 00:20:12,020
and we realized you're
not fixing the problem
171
00:20:12,020 --> 00:20:15,780
by just destroying
the lab, you're not.
172
00:20:15,780 --> 00:20:20,900
You're disrupting,
temporarily disrupting.
173
00:20:25,620 --> 00:20:29,700
JEFF: We'd been hitting
labs and things that
were affiliated with him.
174
00:20:29,700 --> 00:20:32,380
We needed to do
something more.
175
00:20:32,380 --> 00:20:35,620
You have to go to the
source, you have to cut
the head off the snake.
176
00:20:36,420 --> 00:20:39,660
I needed to change focus
and try to arrest Bagcho.
177
00:20:50,740 --> 00:20:54,060
JEFF: We'd known
where Bagcho lived
for several years
178
00:20:54,060 --> 00:20:56,380
and what we found in
that part of Nangarhar
179
00:20:56,380 --> 00:20:59,420
were most of the police
chiefs were working
with the Taliban
180
00:20:59,420 --> 00:21:02,580
and working with the
drug traffickers.
181
00:21:03,140 --> 00:21:06,580
In fact they were even
transporting drugs
in police vehicles.
182
00:21:17,780 --> 00:21:20,100
NEWSREADER: Historic
days in Afghanistan.
183
00:21:20,100 --> 00:21:25,460
Millions of people have
taken a giant step on the
long road to democracy.
184
00:21:25,460 --> 00:21:29,900
The country's
first direct presidential
election has taken place.
185
00:21:29,900 --> 00:21:33,260
Indira leader, Hamid
Karzai is expected to
be the winner.
186
00:22:12,900 --> 00:22:15,660
JEFF: Haji Bagcho, with his
level of influence and power,
187
00:22:15,660 --> 00:22:18,820
is incredibly dangerous
and was a huge influence
188
00:22:18,820 --> 00:22:23,420
on the corruption
of Afghanistan and
Afghan officials.
189
00:22:23,420 --> 00:22:25,900
The problem was what
to do with terrorists,
190
00:22:25,900 --> 00:22:28,140
drug traffickers
and other criminals
that you arrest.
191
00:22:28,140 --> 00:22:29,940
If you put them into the
Afghan judicial system
192
00:22:29,940 --> 00:22:33,220
they would often bribe
somebody and get released.
193
00:22:37,740 --> 00:22:43,180
Eventually people started
to notice the nexus between
drugs and terrorism
194
00:22:43,180 --> 00:22:45,060
because the evidence
was overwhelming.
195
00:22:51,540 --> 00:22:55,500
CONDOLEEZZA: The terrorism
feeds on the drug
trafficking and fuels
196
00:22:55,500 --> 00:22:57,860
and funds the terrorists,
197
00:22:57,860 --> 00:23:01,380
so this is a link
that we absolutely
have to break.
198
00:23:13,940 --> 00:23:15,700
GEORGE W: The bill gives
law enforcement new tools
199
00:23:15,700 --> 00:23:17,940
to combat threats to
our citizens
200
00:23:17,940 --> 00:23:20,820
from international
terrorists to local
drug dealers.
201
00:23:23,700 --> 00:23:25,660
JEFF: I was really pleased,
202
00:23:25,660 --> 00:23:29,220
the law was a huge new
tool that we had to go
after terrorists.
203
00:23:39,700 --> 00:23:43,340
JEFF: My partner and
I were staying at the
Jalalabad airfield
204
00:23:43,340 --> 00:23:47,100
and it was a fort
operating base in
the Nangarhar province
205
00:23:47,100 --> 00:23:49,140
where we were able to go
out into the province
206
00:23:49,140 --> 00:23:53,540
which is the heart of
heroin trafficking in
eastern Afghanistan.
207
00:23:53,540 --> 00:23:56,700
It was also the home
base of Haji Bagcho.
208
00:23:57,460 --> 00:24:01,020
And we needed evidence to
show that he was engaged
in this trafficking.
209
00:24:04,700 --> 00:24:07,260
And when you're going
after the head of a
major organization,
210
00:24:07,260 --> 00:24:11,420
getting someone who can
talk to him on tape or
on video is huge.
211
00:24:12,220 --> 00:24:17,380
So we had Muhammad make a
series of phone calls
directly to Haji Bagcho
212
00:24:17,380 --> 00:24:19,900
claiming that he
wanted to buy large
amounts of heroin
213
00:24:19,900 --> 00:24:22,180
to get it out
of Afghanistan.
214
00:24:31,900 --> 00:24:36,860
The most pure heroin
is known as "Spin Moll"
which is white stuff.
215
00:24:36,860 --> 00:24:40,580
Spin is the heroin that
we were looking for
216
00:24:40,580 --> 00:24:42,180
and that is sent to
other countries.
217
00:24:55,900 --> 00:24:58,980
JEFF: He was just pale,
like he was so scared,
he was pale
218
00:24:58,980 --> 00:25:01,500
and he was shaking when
he dialed the phone.
219
00:25:26,220 --> 00:25:29,460
JEFF: When we first
heard Haji Bagcho's
voice on that call
220
00:25:29,460 --> 00:25:32,460
we got pretty excited
because this was as
close as anyone
221
00:25:32,460 --> 00:25:35,660
had been able to get
to Bagcho in years
of investigation.
222
00:26:11,260 --> 00:26:14,740
JEFF: So we'd had
some evidence
directly from Bagcho
223
00:26:14,740 --> 00:26:18,300
but what we needed was
actual drugs because
to prove something
224
00:26:18,300 --> 00:26:21,580
beyond a reasonable
doubt you really
need the product.
225
00:26:22,340 --> 00:26:27,500
So our next step, pick
up the kilos of heroin
from Bagcho's residence
226
00:26:27,500 --> 00:26:29,260
in the belly of the beast.
227
00:26:41,980 --> 00:26:46,780
JEFF: We have Bagcho's
voice recorded, setting
up the deal.
228
00:26:46,780 --> 00:26:49,820
Then he arranged a time
for Muhammad to go
229
00:26:49,820 --> 00:26:53,860
and pick up the 2
kilograms sample from
Bagcho's residence.
230
00:27:02,540 --> 00:27:05,460
My partner and I got
into our Afghan gear.
231
00:27:07,740 --> 00:27:09,140
We just went out in
a couple of vehicles.
232
00:27:13,380 --> 00:27:17,300
My partner took him in
a bus and I covered
them in another car
233
00:27:17,300 --> 00:27:20,180
and drove him near
Bagcho's residence.
234
00:27:22,100 --> 00:27:26,580
Let him out on foot
and we watched him go
to Bagcho's residence.
235
00:27:43,580 --> 00:27:47,180
JEFF: Bagcho lived in
the Markoh village in
eastern Nangarhar.
236
00:27:47,180 --> 00:27:50,700
It was an area that
was just infested
with Taliban.
237
00:27:54,980 --> 00:27:57,100
Not only were we
worried, is the deal
going to happen
238
00:27:57,100 --> 00:28:00,020
but we have the source
who's trusting us to
keep him safe.
239
00:28:04,740 --> 00:28:08,860
Muhammad went to Bagcho's
house and met someone at
the residence.
240
00:28:09,620 --> 00:28:13,380
If Bagcho knew Muhammad
was working for
us they would kill him.
241
00:28:15,540 --> 00:28:18,020
So I told Muhammad that
we would protect him
242
00:28:18,020 --> 00:28:21,100
and if anything
happened we could rush
in and rescue him.
243
00:28:53,420 --> 00:28:56,180
JEFF: Muhammad walked
away and we surveilled
him to make sure
244
00:28:56,180 --> 00:28:58,900
that nobody was
watching him and when
we had the opportunity,
245
00:28:58,900 --> 00:29:01,500
we picked him up
off of the street.
246
00:29:06,380 --> 00:29:10,260
We believe we had enough
evidence for a prosecutable
case in the United States
247
00:29:10,260 --> 00:29:14,180
but we still wanted to
execute a search warrant
at Bagcho's residence
248
00:29:14,180 --> 00:29:16,260
to try to get more
information,
249
00:29:16,260 --> 00:29:18,180
but, also to try
to arrest Bagcho.
250
00:29:28,140 --> 00:29:30,220
Bagcho lived in a
very large residence.
251
00:29:30,220 --> 00:29:39,380
Think like a medieval castle,
very tall walls around
it, big open courtyards,
252
00:29:39,380 --> 00:29:42,580
and this area was a
Taliban controlled area.
253
00:30:00,500 --> 00:30:03,620
JEFF: As we were flying
in, I was on the headset
in the helicopter,
254
00:30:03,620 --> 00:30:06,940
it was a Chinook,
and I heard one of
the pilots say,
255
00:30:06,940 --> 00:30:09,780
there's a man running
out of the back of
the residence,
256
00:30:09,780 --> 00:30:14,500
and I was like, 'son
of a gun' because we knew
that was going to happen.
257
00:30:14,500 --> 00:30:17,180
When we landed, we
you know, assaulted
the residence.
258
00:30:19,660 --> 00:30:20,940
US SOLDIER: Alright,
get in, get in, get in!
259
00:30:25,220 --> 00:30:27,340
JEFF: We secured it,
there were a bunch
of people inside.
260
00:30:27,340 --> 00:30:28,260
Everyone got handcuffed.
261
00:30:42,100 --> 00:30:46,460
JEFF: I went to that
back door and Bagcho had
run out of his shoes.
262
00:30:46,460 --> 00:30:50,500
His two shoes were like
this outside the back door
263
00:30:50,500 --> 00:30:51,900
where he'd literally
run out of his shoes.
264
00:30:54,260 --> 00:30:57,380
So yes, Bagcho was
there, Bagcho fled.
265
00:33:39,060 --> 00:33:44,380
JEFF: In Afghanistan,
they use a monetary
system known as Hawala.
266
00:33:44,380 --> 00:33:48,740
Hawala is an informal
banking system.
267
00:33:48,740 --> 00:33:53,020
So Hawaladars are
people who work within
the Hawala system,
268
00:33:53,020 --> 00:33:54,780
who accept money
and give money,
269
00:33:56,820 --> 00:34:00,780
and Haji Bagcho, his
Hawaladar was a guy
named Zahir Shah.
270
00:34:16,260 --> 00:34:22,100
JEFF: What we wanted was
the documentary evidence
to show the trail of money.
271
00:34:22,100 --> 00:34:27,580
So we executed a search
warrant to try to seize the
ledgers from the Hawaladar.
272
00:34:37,860 --> 00:34:40,260
JEFF: We had to get
in, execute the
search warrant,
273
00:34:40,260 --> 00:34:43,460
seize what evidence we
could and get out as
quickly as possible.
274
00:34:44,300 --> 00:34:47,580
The longer westerners
were present,
275
00:34:47,580 --> 00:34:49,860
the more danger there
was of a Taliban attack
276
00:34:49,860 --> 00:34:51,900
but also just from crowds.
277
00:34:51,900 --> 00:34:54,300
Huge crowds would form and
they would get violent.
278
00:35:12,500 --> 00:35:15,540
JEFF: These ledgers showed
just massive amounts
of drug trafficking.
279
00:35:25,860 --> 00:35:27,580
Based on the ledgers
that we had,
280
00:35:27,580 --> 00:35:30,180
we could prove that
that's what he sold.
281
00:35:30,180 --> 00:35:32,620
So this was the biggest
heroin trafficker in
the world,
282
00:35:32,620 --> 00:35:35,220
someone who directly
supported Narcoterrorism.
283
00:35:37,460 --> 00:35:40,860
So honestly, there was
just a sense of relief.
284
00:35:40,860 --> 00:35:45,940
We had the evidence that we
needed to, I believe, for a
successful prosecution.
285
00:36:12,180 --> 00:36:18,780
JEFF: Pakistan had arrested
Bagcho a couple of times
and, you know, let him go.
286
00:36:18,780 --> 00:36:22,820
So he'd been arrested
and released and then
he'd been arrested again.
287
00:36:34,940 --> 00:36:38,940
JEFF: This time when he'd
been arrested, Pakistan
agreed to turn him over
288
00:36:38,940 --> 00:36:40,740
to the Afghan government.
289
00:36:43,460 --> 00:36:45,860
I was thrilled and quite
frankly a little surprised,
290
00:36:45,860 --> 00:36:49,460
I didn't think Pakistan
would ever turn him over
291
00:36:49,460 --> 00:36:51,140
if they had him
but they did.
292
00:37:01,700 --> 00:37:03,580
JEFF: He's, you know,
a little old man,
293
00:37:03,580 --> 00:37:05,740
incredibly powerful and
incredibly dangerous.
294
00:37:15,900 --> 00:37:18,500
JEFF: Ideally we
wanted Bagcho to
co-operate with us
295
00:37:18,500 --> 00:37:22,660
and then use his testimony
and his evidence to help
charge Taliban
296
00:37:22,660 --> 00:37:28,020
commanders and corrupt
officials but his
Defense Attorney
297
00:37:28,020 --> 00:37:30,940
kept telling us there
was no way we would get
him out of Afghanistan,
298
00:37:30,940 --> 00:37:33,020
so he wouldn't let
Bagcho co-operate.
299
00:38:00,700 --> 00:38:05,020
JEFF: We didn't know if
the Afghan government
would let us take him
300
00:38:05,020 --> 00:38:08,020
and there were some
tense, tense moments.
301
00:38:08,020 --> 00:38:11,420
But, eventually, the
Afghan government agreed
that it would be better
302
00:38:11,420 --> 00:38:13,420
if he was tried in
the United States.
303
00:38:24,580 --> 00:38:26,020
NEWSREADER: Handcuffed
and surrounded by agents
304
00:38:26,020 --> 00:38:27,980
from the Drug Enforcement
Administration,
305
00:38:27,980 --> 00:38:33,820
Haji Bagcho landed at
Andrews Air Force Base
early this morning.
306
00:38:33,820 --> 00:38:37,020
JEFF: But until you can
actually go into a US
court and convict him,
307
00:38:37,020 --> 00:38:39,860
we weren't satisfied
or comfortable.
308
00:39:41,820 --> 00:39:44,020
NEWSREADER: Joining me now
is a member of the DEA team
309
00:39:44,020 --> 00:39:47,060
that hunted down the
world's biggest
heroin trafficker,
310
00:39:47,060 --> 00:39:51,060
former Supervisory
Agent, Special Agent,
Jeffrey Higgins.
311
00:39:51,060 --> 00:39:52,820
Jeffrey, thank
you for coming on.
312
00:39:52,820 --> 00:39:55,460
Give us a sense of what it
took to capture this man
313
00:39:55,460 --> 00:39:58,700
by who all accounts was
a criminal mastermind.
314
00:39:58,700 --> 00:40:00,820
JEFF: Well, he was
the most prolific
heroin trafficker
315
00:40:00,820 --> 00:40:02,620
and overall drug
dealer in the world.
316
00:40:11,700 --> 00:40:14,380
JEFF: So the trial
itself was sort of a
logistical nightmare.
317
00:40:14,380 --> 00:40:19,220
We had all these Afghans
who needed translators,
318
00:40:19,220 --> 00:40:22,900
they needed security
because of the level
of this case.
319
00:40:31,460 --> 00:40:33,940
I was holding my breath
when Muhammad walked
320
00:40:33,940 --> 00:40:36,620
into the courtroom
and took the stand,
321
00:40:36,620 --> 00:40:39,740
where he was facing
Bagcho, because this
is the moment of truth,
322
00:40:39,740 --> 00:40:43,380
he had to identify Bagcho,
he had to describe him and
point to him
323
00:40:43,380 --> 00:40:46,500
and I know how terrifying
that must have been.
324
00:41:03,060 --> 00:41:05,820
JEFF: I sat at the
prosecution table with
the two attorneys
325
00:41:05,820 --> 00:41:08,420
and the prosecution team.
326
00:41:08,420 --> 00:41:13,620
I testified a number of
times in the case and
it was exhausting,
327
00:41:13,620 --> 00:41:14,580
it was around the clock.
328
00:41:17,420 --> 00:41:19,660
The corroborating evidence
we had with the phone calls
329
00:41:19,660 --> 00:41:24,220
where we had Bagcho's
voice recorded
setting up the deal
330
00:41:24,220 --> 00:41:29,740
and the ledgers from the
hawaladar, but juries
are unpredictable,
331
00:41:29,740 --> 00:41:32,380
you never know what
they're thinking.
332
00:42:10,260 --> 00:42:13,900
JEFF: Bagcho's
organization distributed
heroin to 22 countries
333
00:42:13,900 --> 00:42:18,940
including Japan and
China, the United States,
like all over the globe.
334
00:42:18,940 --> 00:42:22,020
So, it was very satisfying
after all this work
335
00:42:22,020 --> 00:42:24,380
to finally get
this nexus target.
336
00:42:26,700 --> 00:42:31,420
Everything I did in
Afghanistan after September
11th was to fulfil my vow
337
00:42:31,420 --> 00:42:34,180
to go after terrorists
and the people that had
targeted our country.
338
00:42:35,260 --> 00:42:40,020
So I was incredibly
relieved when I heard
the verdicts.
339
00:42:46,700 --> 00:42:48,740
NEWSREADER: The
fall of Afghanistan.
340
00:42:48,740 --> 00:42:52,260
Taliban fighters inside
the Presidential Palace.
341
00:42:52,260 --> 00:42:55,780
The Taliban declaring
it the Islamic Emirate
of Afghanistan.
342
00:42:59,300 --> 00:43:01,740
The Taliban taking a
little more than a
week to seize control
343
00:43:01,740 --> 00:43:03,620
of almost the
entire country.
344
00:43:28,300 --> 00:43:30,860
JEFF: I think it's
horrible. I think it's a
horrible judicial decision.
345
00:43:33,620 --> 00:43:39,940
We know that he
distributed at least
123,000 kgs of heroin
346
00:43:39,940 --> 00:43:44,220
and he was the most
prolific heroin trafficker
347
00:43:44,220 --> 00:43:47,060
ever to be prosecuted
in the United States
348
00:43:49,820 --> 00:43:53,660
and so for him not to get
a life sentence for that
I think is a travesty.
349
00:43:53,820 --> 00:43:54,820
Captioned by
SubTitlePro LLC