♪ ♪ ♪ gonna take a ♪ i hope you're ready for the next episode ♪ ♪ hey, hey, hey, hey, this is "nightline". tonight, "the intercept." in hot pursuit of daring drug runners on the high seas. our cameras on the front lines of america's war on drugs. the u.s. coast guard grabbing 460,000 pounds of cocaine last year alone, now armed with the newest weapons and latest technology stopping smugglers before they ever make it to shore or the streets. plus, "wedding crashers." sure it's all fun and games when celebrities make an unexpected cameo at the ceremonies. but now, the uninvited guests wanted for allegedly stealing more than the spotlight.

they're swiping gifts. and "political football." after a very public scrimmage jay-z teaming up with the nfl. the game changer for more than just the half-time show. but first the "nightline 5."

good evening. thank you for joining us.

tonight, we're taking you to a dangerous playground in the pacific ocean. u.s. officials fighting a borderless war on drugs by trying to destroy trafficking routes and capture alleged smugglers. a risky cat-and-mouse game we witnessed up close and personal. here is abc's chief national correspondent matt gutman. >> here in the vast, pacific ocean along the americas -- there is a borderless war that pits drug smugglers against u.s. coast guard crew. moments like this are the latest frontier of drug busts. where vessels, like this so-called "narco-sub," are intercepted carrying more than 17,000 pounds of cocaine. and high-speed pursuits break out on the high seas as drug smugglers race to toss bales of narcotics overboard before they

are cornered. we've gained special access inside the tactical operations of the u.s. coast guard, an agency that seizes three times as much cocaine as all other u.s. law enforcement combined. and we witness firsthand the new frontlines of the war on drugs. our journey begins on the coast of el salvador in 2017, where the coast guard cutter "stratton" is preparing to depart. this crew patrols the eastern pacific day in and day out, with the help of other agencies and even international partners. it's mission -- to find and intercept drug boats carrying uncut cocaine before they can reach land. these waters, officials say, now the prefered routes to smuggle dope. >> over the last year the coast guards took over 455,000 pounds of cocaine off the water.

captain craig is in charge of this crew of about 140 people. >> do you know what the normal path of one of these fast boats loaded with cocaine would be? >> it emanates from south america, and it can go a number of routes right. when you when you have that much geography that you cover, these boats will take all sorts of evasive routes so they can invade law enforcement assets. >> so they're going way out to sea. >> you know, sometimes we're you know, thousand-plus miles from land. >> he says that intercepting the drugs at this point has a direct impact on our border security. >> our land border really starts at sea. because what happens is this product goes into central america. those cartels and those criminal organizations really destabilize rule of law in those areas. so much so that folks migrate to the united states. they want a better place to live. it destabilizes them and places pressure on our southwest border. >> in between drug busts, this crew is always at the ready. that means constantly maintaining the mind, body and boat. >> right now, we're finishing up

boat check. we do them every morning for each boat. >> when janae davis first joined the coast guard, she didn't realize just how much of her job would be on the frontlines of the drug war. >> when people tend to ask me, you know, what it is i do, i usually tell them, you know, i drive boats and i shoot guns. and that pretty much sums it up. >> the crew takes us deep into the belly of the "stratton," to this extremely secure storage room already packed to the ceiling with bales of confiscated cocaine, the result of about a month of open water busts. >> back in the '90s, a lot of this movement of contraband came through the caribbean. but they've come out here to the eastern pacific where they have a bigger playground to move their illegal gains. >> but in this playground, deep in the pacific, the coast guard says it has the upper hand. armed with the latest technology and ammunition. >> the technology has played a

huge role. that really gives us an edge on tracking down targets and, you know, allowing us to catch the bad guys. >> reporter: while we're there, a tip comes in from one of the partners, coast guard's partners flagging a potential smuggling boat. so the crew launches their drone to serve as eyes in the sky. and within minutes, it precisely locates alleged smugglers. it's go time. it takes just minutes for a team of eight to gear up. >> if we got eyes on these guys, we're going to take them down. >> the team splits up into two smaller boats. soon enough, they're at full throttle. >> it's almost like you're on a roller coaster when you're going up that peak. your heart's beating out of your chest. but then once you're on the ride, you're on the ride. >> in about 15 minutes, the first boat reaches the suspects. with their hands up, they

surrender. three coastguardsmen jump on board to take them into custody as the second boat collects bales of suspected contraband that was thrown into the ocean during the chase -- >> how important is it to actually pick up the evidence >> i you need to pick up a sample of what they were tossing over the side. >> after hours of gathering over a dozen heavy bales, the job isn't done. they must test it on the spot to confirm it's indeed cocaine. >> in one case here, take about a ton of dope off the water. that's about $3.5 million for that amount. >> the evidence and the suspects transferred to the cutter. these are pretty low-level guys. >> it depends. you never know what you get out at sea. each guy that we interdict out there, he could have potential information on someone else in the network. >> the idea is that if you flip the guys that you already bust, then you get information that helps you find the next guy? >> absolutely. it's a big cycle of success,

right? you may get information on the leadership of a criminal network. that's what's important. >> despite claims of success, some critics question just how helpful the information gleaned from these types of detainees actually is. >> coast guard officials and others that i spoke with in the process of my reporting, and a federal judge said quite clearly, you know, most of these men are at the very bottom of the ladder in these drug organizations, and very often don't know anything at all about what it is that they're doing. >> reporter seth freed wessler spent about a year looking into the coast guard's treatment of people in its custody, interviewing about two dozen detainees. his investigation, first published in 2017, titled "the coast guard's floating guantanamos" in "new york times magazine." >> these drug interdictions in international waters can be spectacular. and we see these images.

but what we don't see is what happens after the interdiction when people are held in really troubling conditions aboard american ships. the ships don't have, say, cells where they would hold detainees. instead, people are being shackled by an ankle to a cable or a peg on the ship itself, and just held there. sometimes given a thin mat to sleep on. and it raises serious questions about the violation of these suspects' rights. their human rights and their rights under u.s. law. >> reporter: the u.s. coast guard telling us that all have access to medical facilities. our cameras were not permitted to film detainees once they were brought on board the cutter. while we were there, about 30 were in custody held in a makeshift cell. this open hangar protected from

the sun. >> this is the most detainees i've seen on board this vessel at one time. we usually have a fair amount. this is a lot for us, though. >> the detainees, watched by a coastguardsmen 24 hours a day. we want to make sure that their safety's taken care of, that their needs are taken care of. but at the same time, they're in custody. they're handcuffed and are not free to roam the vessel. >> in june of this year, the aclu filed a lawsuit against the u.s. coast guard, alleging what they call "inhumane" treatment of four jamaican fishermen who were detained at sea. the coast guard said in a statement to abc news that it -- "cannot comment on current litigation, which is being handled by the department of justice. however, the coast guard treats each person with dignity and respect." >> back on the "stratton," it takes dozens of crew to transfer all those confiscated bales from the latest interdiction. in 2018 alone, the coast guard

confiscated 460,000 pounds of uncut cocaine, which equates to roughly 4.18 billion individual doses, enough to provide a daily dose of cocaine to every person in the united states for 13 days straight. >> people can't even really fathom you're out there, lugging 3,000 pounds of pure cocaine off the boat. >> a few weeks later, back on land in san diego, the bales of cocaine are counted and turned over to the dea. >> what you're looking at here is $700 million worth of pure uncut cocaine. this is a result of 45 days of patrolling. pretty amazing when you look at it. >> and for the "stratton" crew, a fleeting moment to reflect on the greater mission.

>> that's the best feeling, is knowing that these drugs aren't going to go on the street. you're doing your part to keep that away from people. it's a really good thing. it's a lot of work. but it's worth it. >> and it's affecting the community. and it's affecting families. and knowing that you're someone making a difference, i mean, it's a victory because you stopped that from happening. >> but their work far from over. up next, the uninvited guests accused of taking "wedding crashing" to a criminal level. (announcer) people with type 2 diabetes are excited about the potential of once-weekly ozempic®. in a study with ozempic®, a majority of adults lowered their blood sugar and reached an a1c of less than 7 and maintained it. oh! under 7? (announcer) and you may lose weight. in the same one-year study, adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. oh! up to 12 pounds? (announcer) a two-year study showed that ozempic® does not

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we all know the rules at weddings. don't upstage the bride. don't show up empty-handed. and don't go overboard at the open bar. well, now we can add another one. abc's paula faris tonight on the new crime wave that takes the cake. for a bride and groom saying their "i do's," it can be one of the most important days in their lives. >> it was a relatively large wedding. >> but for texans dani and kinsey shicke, who we spoke to while traveling back from their honeymoon, their happily ever after overshadowed by a stranger who crashed their celebration and made off with some of their gifts. >> the alleged crasher has also been accused of stealing from at least three other weddings. we know for sure that she stole a $200 gift card and tickets to

disneyland. >> yeah. and just some other gift cards and cash gifts. >> texas authorities are on the hunt for the suspect who can be seen on this surveillance tape allegedly shopping with stolen gift cards. >> the comal county sheriff's office is offering a reward of up to $4000 for any tips. what happened to this couple was a crime, but thanks to memorable performances by vince vaughn and owen wilson, the term wedding crasher usually describes a much more light hearted cinematic moment. becoming more common, celebrities ripping a page from the silver screen. back in 2014, beyonce accidentally crashed this couple's special day when touring a church in italy. >> just a few years later, taylor swift surprised these superfans and then serenaded them, performing blank space as the bride and groom shared their first dance.

>> maroon 5 even staged an entire music video around a day-long marathon crash for their hit single "sugar." >> a few years ago, i got in on the fun too. >> dan and jessica miele got married here in westchester, new york, when we decided to soft crash their wedding. they were great sports, the >> so what is this fascination some have with going where they're not invited? is it the free food, the open bar? that's what one bride and groom wanted to know after their wedding photos and videos included these fun-loving freeloaders. >> i had asked around my side of the family and my husband's side of the family and made sure that they weren't somebody who i just hadn't met before. the two can be seen boogying on the dance floor, drinks in hand, practically going out of their way to be noticed. and now, the perfect strangers are permanently part of this

newlywed's photo album. krista reilly took to facebook to try and match a name with a face and the local media turned up the drama. >> the mystery of the identity of the wedding crashers has been solved. >> for krista, at least, turns out the wedding crashers themselves noticed they had gone from the hunter to the hunted and reached out privately to the bride to apologize. krista wouldn't reveal their names. she says she forgives, but with this wedding album, how can she forget? >> think it's tacky. i think it's rude because that's somebody's special day. >> watch, as this guy enters the beautiful tustin ranch golf club in california. cops say he swiped up all the cash and gift cards at a wedding reception here. police say the suspect was checking to see if the coast is clear, then covers the gift box with his jacket and makes a quick getaway. cops picked him up about a month later and charged him with burglary and grand theft.

this pennsylvania guy was also caught after slipping into receptions and stealing 12 grand in cash, gifts, even the bride's shoes. he finally got an invitation, but from a judge who sentenced him to a minimum of four years. >> and you have to think about not just your guests but other people who may have access to the wedding venue including staff and vendors. it's always nice to give people the benefit of the doubt in order to totally take that equation off the table. we recommend registering online >> back at the miele wedding, we spotted their gift box. it was positioned right where the experts say it should be, behind the couple, away from the exits and with security standing nearby. >> how much do you think is sitting over there? >> 40? 30, 40, hoping more. >> thousand? >> yeah. >> wow, so you better have some security guards on that. >> we do, we do. >> if you think that someone's crashing a wedding it's best not to ignore it. and it's also best to make sure that they actually are crasher.

maybe the second or third cousin from your spouse's family that you maybe haven't been introduced to yet so ask around. or better yet go introduce yourself. hi i don't think we've met yet. >> as for the dani and kinsey, even though they were robbed, they think it's more important to focus on the bigger picture. >> we were a little bit upset at first, but we were just glad that we got married. >> yes. >> and that everyone was there, and that no one got hurt. >> these newlyweds are more generous than most. increasingly the happy occasion is seen as a target of opportunity. beware. for nightline i'm paula farris. next, the partnership between the nfl and jay-z pushing the conversation of social justice forward. ♪ still fresh... ♪ unstopables in-wash scent booster ♪

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finally tonight, an unlikely partnership announced today. >> rapper jay-z and his company, roc nation, joining forces with the national football league. jay z describing it as the next phase of the protests started by colin kapernick and other players kneeling during the national anthem. >> what are we going to do?

how are we going to stop, because the kneeling was not about the job. it was about injustice. and let me bring attention to injustice. >> roc nation taking on the role of advising entertainment selections for nfl events like the super bowl. the two partners also hoping to emphasize initiatives like criminal justice reform and improving police-community relations. >> moving forward. that's "nightline." you can always catch our full episodes on hulu. good night, america. dand steaks aren't just for dinner.st... and right now we can have both for less because with choice sirloin... denny's is elevating its new steak and eggs for just $10.99. it's new and it's a pretty big deal. see you at denny's!