The Atlanta-based film director said the agents asked, “Are you high? Have you smoked? Do you have any drugs in this bag? Do you have any money?”

The search of Sturdivant’s bag turned up nothing, and he was allowed to board the flight. But Atlanta News First Investigates found several similar cases where officers with the DEA task force or Clayton County Police searched innocent people or seized money without making any arrests.

‘See all those white folks, and I’m the random search’

Clayton County narcotics officers searched Emmy-winning Hollywood actor Jean Elie on the jet bridge of an Atlanta-to-Los Angeles flight in 2020.

“I’m a random search, guys,” Elie said on a recording he made of the drug agents searching his bag. “So he says,” Elie said, panning to the line for the aircraft boarding door and adding, “See all those white folks, and I’m the random search.”