New procedures are in place for Border Patrol agents along the U.S.-Mexico border that are aimed at stemming the tide of guns and money making their way south and into the hands of the drug cartels.
There's always been a traffic jam getting into the U.S. Now, there' likely to be one headed the other way, too.
"I usually just drive straight through, no questions asked," said Albert Ross, who was headed south. "This is the first time this has ever happened."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers are doing the searching.
"It was always considered to be not really our problem," said David Higgerson of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "But it is our problem with the cartels and everything going on. It is incumbent on us to take a very active role in that."
With the help of K-9s and high-tech gadgets, agents are searching for guns and big piles of cash. Inside a trailer, an X-ray machine scans cars and trucks that are lined up to go into Mexico.
"You can do a lot of cars quickly and concentrate on cars where you see anomalies, which is important because you can get everyone else out of there and going south to do their business," Higgerson said.
The people who cross the border and have nothing to hide said they hope the crackdown will cut gun and cash smuggling.
"Makes me feel a little bit safer," said Fred Gross. "I come over here and work every day. It can get scary at times."
Now if they can do something about the water ...
