LAREDO, TX – Customs and Border Protection officials announced Tuesday that officers at the Laredo Port of Entry seized more than 200 pounds of pork which was concealed in the engine compartment of a pickup truck.
CBP officials said the seizure happened on July 29 when an officer referred a 1980 Ford F-150 driven by a 30-year-old U.S. citizen traveling from Mexico for a secondary inspection.
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According to a statement by CBP the vehicle was referred for a non-intrusive inspection when the driver was unable to open the hood of the truck.
“Following an agriculture canine and non-intrusive imaging system examination, CBP officers and agriculture specialists discovered a total of 201 pounds of undeclared and prohibited pork products concealed in the engine compartment,” CBP said in a statement.
According to CBP’s statement, CBP agriculture specialists issued a $1,000 civil penalty for the undeclared commercial quantity of the prohibited product.
“At this time, Mexico is considered free of Classical Swine Fever (CSF), but pork importations need to meet special requirements,” CBP said in a statement. “Attempting to bring in prohibited agricultural items could lead to traveler delays and may result in a fine ranging from $300 to $1,000.”
For more information about CBP’s agriculture mission, click on the following link.
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