Cartel Traps

Course Overview

This intensive three-day combined course merges Interdiction Tactics with Cartel Traps Hidden Compartment Training to provide law enforcement officers with comprehensive skills in criminal interdiction and sophisticated contraband detection. Participants will develop expertise in the complete interdiction process, ranging from recognizing criminal indicators at roadside stops to identifying advanced concealment techniques used in vehicles.

Course Content

The curriculum covers criminal indicators, vehicle and occupant observation techniques, roadside interview strategies, travel analysis methodologies, interdiction tactics, and systematic vehicle search procedures. Students will learn about tooling and tampering indicators, natural voids, dimensional and depth assessment, non-factory vehicle modifications, and both electronic and manual access systems.

The Cartel Traps component systematically guides officers through entire vehicles, teaching methods to recognize concealment indicators and clear natural voids. Coverage includes floors, firewalls, rocker panels, dashboards, center consoles, roofs, trunks, cargo areas, engine compartments, and tires—all commonly exploited locations for hidden compartments.

Hands-On Training

The final day consists of practical exercises using actual vehicles equipped with trap compartments. Officers work collaboratively in teams and rotate through multiple stations to apply classroom knowledge. Training stations include identifying concealment indicators, performing systematic vehicle searches, clearing natural voids, and locating genuine hidden compartments. Additional scenarios incorporate simulated contraband strategically concealed throughout vehicles to emphasize thorough and methodical search procedures.

Course Details

This training integrates the entire interdiction workflow—from initial observation through final discovery—enabling participants to develop stops effectively, recognize criminal activity, conduct roadside investigations, search vehicles thoroughly, and successfully locate concealed items.

Key Information:

• Instructor: Jeremy Bedingfield
• Location: San Diego, CA (ZIP 92123, San Diego County)
• Dates: April 26–28, 2027
• Duration: 24 hours
• Cost: $599.00
• Categories: Criminal Interdiction, Hidden Compartments, Vehicle Search
• Eligibility: Training restricted to sworn law enforcement personnel