As part of our national and international training programs, the DEA hosts training courses for various federal, state and local police agencies within the field. This training is offered at no cost to the law enforcement agency.

The DEA Detroit office recently hosted two one day training courses on the detection and operation of hidden compartments or "traps". These "traps" are used to smuggle drugs, cash and weapons throughout the United Sates and to and from foreign countries. Years ago, hidden compartments consisted of an empty spare tire in a trunk that was filled with marijuana or cocaine. Drug traffickers have raised the sophistication level of "traps" to an extraordinarily high level. Trafficking groups now purchase fleets of specially chosen vehicle makes and models which will best house their secret compartments. These compartments can be quite small in passenger vehicles to elaborate hydraulic "traps" hidden in tractor trailers and large sport utility vehicles. The traps often cost thousands of dollars to install and require extensive synchronized actions to open the compartments. Hidden compartments are not a new phenomenon, but the complexity and sophistication are new.

During the two-day period, the DEA Detroit trained 176 police officers from 54 police departments throughout Michigan on how to recognize, locate and reveal hidden compartments in motor vehicles. The training was conducted by a DEA Agent from New York City who is a leading national expert on vehicle "trap" identification. This type of information is shared throughout law enforcement to help bolster enforcement operations and increase officer safety in the very dangerous business of drug trafficking.