The job of airport security is a thankless one. Everyone seems to have stories of how airport security inconvenienced them, and thoughts on how arbitrary and silly their rules are. There was even a viral trend of people teasing airport security protocol regarding their confiscation of water.

However, someone needs to protect the citizens of the country from contraband, and airport security is the second line of defence. Contraband comes in many forms. In most cases, it’s in the form of drugs like cocaine, but in some cases, it’s in the form of people: stopping illegal immigration.

Watch behind the scenes as airport security goes about their jobs in some of the largest Latin American airports: Peru’s Jorge Chavez and Lima Airports; and Brazil’s Paulo-Guarulhos.

Thursdays at 7pm on National Geographic Channel (ch 220, From May 7^th)