Federal employees are facing 10 years to life in prison after being indicted for using their posts to smuggle over 100 million dollars of cocaine into the U.S. from Puerto Rico.

Twelve members of the drug ring, including TSA baggage screeners and security personnel are facing charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute.

Authorities say as much as 20 tons of cocaine over an 18 year period was smuggled in.

They claim A baggage handler in the ring picked up cocaine filled suitcases at check-in counters and put them into TSA X-Ray machines that another suspect cleared.

After, the baggage handler took them to their respective flights, making sure no police or K-9 units intervened.

According to reports, up to five smugglers were used in each flight, each carrying as much as 33 pounds of the illegal substance at a time.

This comes in the heels of a homeland security report that found many of the major U.S. airports do not have full employee screenings.

RELATED: 70lbs of cocaine found in flight attendants bag

6 PHOTOS 70lbs of cocaine found in flight attendants bag See Gallery 70lbs of cocaine found in flight attendants bag Vanessa Reynold, (R) mother of Marsha Reynold, a flight attendant charged with possession with intent to distribute 70 pounds (32 kg) of cocaine, exits the Brooklyn Federal Court following an hearing in the Brooklyn borough of New York March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Vanessa Reynold, (L) mother of Marsha Reynold, a flight attendant charged with possession with intent to distribute 70 pounds (32 kg) of cocaine, and other family members exit the Brooklyn Federal Court following an hearing in the Brooklyn borough of New York March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Attorney's spokesman Allan Jennings, speaks to the press outside the Brooklyn Federal Court following a hearing for Marsha Reynold, a flight attendant charged with possession with intent to distribute 70 pounds (32 kg) of cocaine, in the Brooklyn borough of New York March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Attorney's spokesman Allan Jennings, speaks to the press outside the Brooklyn Federal Court following a hearing for Marsha Reynold, a flight attendant charged with possession with intent to distribute 70 pounds (32 kg) of cocaine, in the Brooklyn borough of New York March 24, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Marsha Reynolds, Flight Attendant that escaped after dropping 70lbs of cocaine is in custody https://t.co/oIqjHQl4dr https://t.co/ByEhKa6Z1d LAX Smuggling Case: Marsha Reynolds was in court in Brooklyn. No plea & no Gucci's. She was wearing gray Converse sneakers per @TracyConnor Up Next See Gallery Discover More Like This HIDE CAPTION SHOW CAPTION of SEE ALL BACK TO SLIDE

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