Theyre swiping gifts. And political football. After a very public scrimmage jayz teaming up with the nfl. The game changer for more than just the halftime show. But first the nightline 5. Good evening. Thank you for joining us. Tonight, were 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 catandmouse game we witnessed up close and personal. Here is abcs 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 socalled narcosub, are intercepted carrying more than 17,000 pounds of cocaine. And highspeed pursuits break out on the high seas as drug smugglers race to toss bales of narcotics overboard before they are cornered. Weve 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. Its 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 theyre going way out to sea. You know, sometimes were you know, thousandplus 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, were finishing up boat check. We do them every morning for each boat. When janae davis first joined the coast guard, she didnt 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 theyve 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 were there, a tip comes in from one of the partners, coast guards 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. Its go time. It takes just minutes for a team of eight to gear up. If we got eyes on these guys, were going to take them down. The team splits up into two smaller boats. Soon enough, theyre at full throttle. Its almost like youre on a roller coaster when youre going up that peak. Your hearts beating out of your chest. But then once youre on the ride, youre 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 isnt done. They must test it on the spot to confirm its indeed cocaine. In one case here, take about a ton of dope off the water. Thats about 3. 5 million for that amount. The evidence and the suspects transferred to the cutter. These are pretty lowlevel 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. Its a big cycle of success, right . You may get information on the leadership of a criminal network. Thats whats 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 dont know anything at all about what it is that theyre doing. Reporter seth freed wessler spent about a year looking into the coast guards treatment of people in its custody, interviewing about two dozen detainees. His investigation, First Published in 2017, titled the coast guards floating guantanamos in New York Times magazine. These drug interdictions in International Waters can be spectacular. And we see these images. But what we dont see is what happens after the interdiction when people are held in really troubling conditions aboard american ships. The ships dont 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 ive 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 safetys taken care of, that their needs are taken care of. But at the same time, theyre in custody. Theyre 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 cant even really fathom youre 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 youre 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. Thats the best feeling, is knowing that these drugs arent going to go on the street. Youre doing your part to keep that away from people. Its a really good thing. Its a lot of work. But its worth it. And its affecting the community. And its affecting families. And knowing that youre someone making a difference, i mean, its 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 onceweekly 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 oneyear study, adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. Oh up to 12 pounds . announcer a twoyear study showed that ozempic® does not increase the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attack, stroke, or death. Oh no increased risk . announcer ozempic® should not be the first medicine for treating diabetes, or for people with type 1 diabetes or diabetic ketoacidosis. Do not share needles or pens. Dont reuse needles. Do not take ozempic® if you have a personal or Family History of medullary thyroid cancer, multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if you are allergic to ozempic®. Stop taking ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, itching, rash, or trouble breathing. Serious side effects may happen, including pancreatitis. Tell your doctor if you have Diabetic Retinopathy or vision changes. Taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase the risk for low blood sugar. Common side effects are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and constipation. Some side effects can lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. I discovered the potential with ozempic®. Oh oh oh ozempic® announcer if eligible, you may pay as little as 25 per prescription. Ask your Health Care Provider today about onceweekly ozempic®. Hard work leaves a mark. It shows on your clothes. Grit, dirt, and every stain the job throws at you. New tide heavy duty. Designed for impossible stains. But their nutritional needs remain instinctual. Thats why theres purina one true instinct. High protein for strong muscles. A different breed of natural nutrition. Purina one true instinct. Also in grainfree for dogs and cats. Heresshow me making it. Like. Oh i got one. The best of amy poehler. Amy, maybe we could use the voice remote to search for something that youre not in. Show me parks and rec. From netflix to prime video to live tv, xfinity lets you find your favorites with the Emmy Awardwinning x1 voice remote. Show me the best of amy poehler, again. This time around. Now thats simple, easy, awesome. Experience the entertainment you love on x1. Access netflix, prime video, youtube and more, all with the sound of your voice. Click, call or visit a store today. We all know the rules at weddings. Dont upstage the bride. Dont show up emptyhanded. And dont go overboard at the open bar. Well, now we can add another one. Abcs paula faris tonight on the new crime wave that takes the cake. For a bride and groom saying their i dos, 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 Sheriffs 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 couples 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 daylong 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 theyre not invited . Is it the free food, the open bar . Thats what one bride and groom wanted to know after their wedding photos and videos included these funloving freeloaders. I had asked around my side of the family and my husbands side of the family and made sure that they werent somebody who i just hadnt 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 newlyweds 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 wouldnt reveal their names. She says she forgives, but with this wedding album, how can she forget . Think its tacky. I think its rude because thats somebodys 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 brides 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. Its 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 someones crashing a wedding its best not to ignore it. And its also best to make sure that they actually are crasher. Maybe the second or third cousin from your spouses family that you maybe havent been introduced to yet so ask around. Or better yet go introduce yourself. Hi i dont think weve met yet. As for the dani and kinsey, even though they were robbed, they think its 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 im paula farris. Next, the partnership between the nfl and jayz pushing the conversation of social justice forward. Still fresh. Unstopables inwash scent booster downy unstopables imagine what you can do with dmore migrainefree days. Ine . pirate arr jessica en garde avo when youre not fighting through migraine, imagine the possibilities. Oncemonthly emgality is used for the prevention of migraine in adults. It can help give you more migrainefree days. With emgality, about 60 of people had their migraine days cut in half or more. Dont use if allergic to emgality. Allergic reactions, like itching, rash, hives, and trouble breathing can occur even days after use. Get medical help right away if you have symptoms. Side effects include injection site reactions. jessica what should we do tomorrow . avo ask your doctor about emgality. And imagine more migrainefree days girl my mom washes the dishes before she puts them in the dishwasher. So what does the dishwasher do . vo cascade platinum does the work for you. Prewashing and removing stuckon foods, the first time. mom wow thats clean vo cascade platinum. Has been excellent. They really appreciate the military family and it really shows. With all that usaa offers why go with anybody else . We know their rates are good, we know that theyre always going to take care of us. It was an instant savings and i should have changed a long time ago. It was funny because when we would call another insurance company, hey would say oh we cant beat usaa were the webber family. Were the tenneys were the hayles, and were usaa members for life. Get your usaa Auto Insurance quote today. From the 5am wakers, to the 6am sleepers. And the hope this trip never enders. Everyone uses their phone differently and in different places. Thats why Xfinity Mobile created a different kind of wireless network. One thats designed to save you money by auto connecting to millions of secure wifi hot spots. And the best lte everywhere else. Xfinity mobile. Its wireless reimagined. Simple, easy, awesome. Finally tonight, an Unlikely Partnership announced today. Rapper jayz 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 policecommunity relations. Moving forward. Thats nightline. You can always catch our full episodes on hulu. Good night, america. Dand steaks arent just for dinner. St. And right now we can have both for less because with choice sirloin. Dennys is elevating its new steak and eggs for just 10. 99. Its new and its a pretty big deal. See you at dennys