US Customs and Border Protection Archives

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Agriculture Specialists Intercept Smuggled Trees

CINCINNATI, OH (STL.News) Last Wednesday, January 13th, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Cincinnati were inspecting incoming freight from China when they found a shipment full of live plants. Officers referred the package to CBP agriculture specialists, who unpacked 21 small trees, likely intended to become bonsai specimens. Specialists noted the trees were layered with various coverings—fabric padding, black plastic, bubble wrap, and, finally, tightly bound with colored tape—presumably as an effort to circumvent inspection. The shipping documentation stated the package was coming from an electronics company in Shenzhen, China, and headed to an individual in Brooklyn, New York. The shipment was accompanied by a commercial invoice stating the box contained a brac...

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Edinburg, TX: RGV Border Patrol Agents Arrest Sex Offender

EDINBURG, TX (STL.News) Border Patrol agents from the McAllen Border Patrol Station arrest a previously convicted rapist attempting to illegally enter the country. This morning, McAllen Border Patrol Agents working near Mission, Texas apprehended a group of five subjects who illegally entered the United States. Criminal record checks reveled one of the subjects was an Honduran national who was arrested in 2019 for 2nd degree rape by the Suffolk County Police Department in the State of New York. The subject was subsequently convicted for the crime and then removed from the country by immigration officials last year. Border Patrol processed the subject accordingly. The public is encouraged to take a stand against crime in their communities and report suspicious activity at 800-863...

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Texas: CBP Officers Seize Marijuana Worth $141K – World Trade Bridge

LAREDO, TX (STL.News) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at the World Trade Bridge recently seized marijuana with a street value of over $141,000 in one enforcement action. “Although anti-terrorism is our primary mission, CBP officers continue to maintain their vigilance to ensure commercial entries are safe and free of contraband, as this narcotics seizure illustrates,” said Acting Port Director Eugene Crawford, Laredo Port of Entry. The enforcement action occurred on Wednesday, January 13th at the World Trade Bridge when CBP officers assigned to the cargo facility encountered a tractor hauling a shipment of plastic household articles arriving from Mexico. The 2003 Ford truck was referred for a canine and non-intrusive imaging system...

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CBP Newark Seizes Swine Meat

NEWARK, NJ (STL.News) An arriving passenger was ‘sniffed’ out by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection K-9 at Newark Liberty International Airport trying to import swine meat into the United States. On January 8, CBP agriculture specialists conducted a canine examination of luggage originating from Kosovo, when K-9 Kody alerted his CBP handler to a suspicious suitcase. The arriving passenger claimed the suitcase and declared that he had “homemade sausages”. “The importation of swine meat, though seemingly harmless to the general public, could cause grave damage to our economy and agricultural industry, and CBP does its part in keeping these prohibited items from entering the United States.” said Troy Miller, Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations. The passenger had approximat...

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Del Rio Border Patrol Sector Warns of Life-Threatening Conditions

Agents Recover Body of Pregnant Woman From Rio Grande DEL RIO, TX (STL.News) Freezing temperatures, winter mixes of snow and ice, and unforgiving river water pose an increased risk of life threatening conditions to people attempting to enter the United States illegally. On Jan. 8, agents assigned to U.S. Border Patrol’s Del Rio Station were notified by the Mexican Government of a possible drowning in the Rio Grande River. Agents responding to the scene recovered the body of a pregnant 33-year-old Haitian woman. Through further investigation, it was determined that her husband had drowned days earlier and was recovered by officials from the Government of Mexico. Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2021, Oct. 1, agents assigned to Del Rio Sector have recovered the bodies of 18 suspec...

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CBP Issues Withhold Release Order on Palm Oil Produced in Malaysia

WASHINGTON, DC (STL.News) Effective December 30, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain palm oil and products containing palm oil produced by Sime Darby Plantation Berhad and its subsidiaries, joint ventures, and affiliated entities in Malaysia. The issuance of a Withhold Release Order against Sime Darby Plantation palm oil is based on information that reasonably indicates the presence of all 11 of the International Labour Organization’s forced labor indicators in Sime Darby Plantation’s production process. Federal statute 19 U.S.C. 1307 prohibits the importation of merchandise mined, manufactured, or produced, wholly or in part, by convict labor, forced labor, and/or indentured labor, including forced or indentured child labor...

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Laredo Texas CBP Officers Seize More Than $2.5 Million in Hard Narcotics

LAREDO, Texas ( STL.News) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge seized methamphetamine that totaled over $2.5 million in street value in one enforcement action. “While drug trafficking organizations employ a variety of methods to smuggle their illicit product, CBP officers continue to utilize high-tech tools coupled with inspection experience to interdict these narcotics and keep our communities safe,” said Acting Port Director Eugene Crawford, Laredo Port of Entry. The seizure occurred on Monday, December 28th, when a CBP officer assigned to the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge referred a 2013 Kia Optima for secondary inspection. The vehicle was driven by a 19-year-old male U.S. citizen traveling from Mexico. CBP offi...

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US Border Patrol Agents Find Methamphetamine Near Downtown Calexico

CALEXICO, CA (STL.News) El Centro Sector Border Patrol seized narcotics found on First Street near downtown Calexico on Tuesday. The incident occurred at approximately 6:54 p.m., on First Street, which runs parallel to the U.S./Mexico International border fence. Agents performing their assigned duties responded to a report of an individual that was seen throwing an unknown object over the fence. When agents arrived at the location, they found a tape wrapped kettlebell lying on the sidewalk. Agents seized the suspected illegal narcotics and transported it to the Calexico Border Patrol station for further processing. At the time of discovery, there were no individuals in the immediate area. The seized package yielded a positive result for the characteristics of methamphetamine when ...

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Border Patrol Agents Rescue Migrant Stuck on Border Wall

IMPERIAL BEACH, CA (STL.News) U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents assisted in the rescue of a migrant who became stuck on the border wall last night while trying to enter the U.S. illegally. The incident occurred on Tuesday at approximately 8:15 p.m., when agents patrolling Imperial Beach observed a man hanging from the international boundary wall where it juts out into the Pacific Ocean. The man, a 25-year-old Mexican national, had tried to scale down into the U.S. and was hanging above the ocean water line. Although he was on the American side of the border, Mexican authorities were able to dislodge the man from the fence. USBP agents then escorted the man to safety. Emergency medical services were on standby and transported the man to a nearby hospital for hypothermia and knee pain...

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Drug Paraphernalia Intercepted by CBP Officers in Chicago, IL

CHICAGO, IL (STL.News) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Chicago recently seized four shipments that contained dabbers, quartz banger nails, used to vaporize cannabis concentrates on a bong or dab ring. On December 27 and 28, CBP officers inspected the four shipments, arriving from Hong Kong, to determine the admissibility of its contents in accordance with CBP regulations. The shipments were manifested as glass adapters, but when officers opened the shipments they found 2,500 Quartz Banger Nails in each parcel with a total domestic value of $169,000. CBP will seize any illegal drug paraphernalia. Law prohibits the importation, exportation, manufacture, sale or transportation of drug paraphernalia. If you are convicted of any of these offenses, you may be subject...

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CBP Issues Withhold Release Order on Harvested Seafood

WASHINGTON (STL.News) Effective December 31, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain tuna and other seafood harvested by the Lien Yi Hsing No. 12, a Taiwanese flagged and owned distant water fishing vessel. CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) against Lien Yi Hsing No. 12 based on information that reasonably indicates the use of forced labor. The agency identified the following forced labor indicators through the course of its investigation: deception, withholding of wages, and debt bondage. Federal statute 19 U.S.C. 1307 prohibits the importation of merchandise mined, manufactured, or produced, wholly or in part, by convict labor, forced labor, and/or indentured labor, including forced or indentured child labor. This WRO...

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Laredo, TX: CBP Officers Apprehend Fugitive

LAREDO, Texas (STL.News) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Laredo Port of Entry detained a wanted man with an outstanding warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon out of Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. “Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a serious felony offense,” said Acting Port Director Eugene Crawford, Laredo Port of Entry. “Effective application of our national law enforcement databases allows officers to identify and apprehend wanted fugitives who attempt to make entry into the U.S.” The fugitive apprehension occurred on Wednesday, December 30th, 2020 at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge. A CBP officer processing vehicle traffic arriving from Mexico, referred Ruben Andrade, a 28-year-old male United States citizen, for a seconda...

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Law Enforcement Saved Lives From a Human Smuggling Attempt

LAREDO, TEXAS (STL.News) US Border Patrol agents assigned to the Laredo North Station received a call for assistance from Laredo Police Department (LPD) that saved numerous lives in a human smuggling attempt in Laredo. The incident occurred just past midnight on November 6, when agents responded to a local business near Mines Road to assist LPD in investigating a suspicious tractor-trailer parked on the side of the street in front of the business establishment. As LPD officers approached the abandoned trailer, they heard noises coming from inside the trailer. Officers broke the seal of the locked door of the trailer and discovered numerous people inside who had no means of escape. Law enforcement personnel helped the individuals exit the trailer. Agents distributed personal protective ...

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Border Patrol Agents Seize over $103K Worth of Meth at Checkpoint

EAGLE PASS, Texas (STL.News) U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Eagle Pass South Station discovered over 21 pounds of methamphetamine, November 3, 2020. “This seizure highlights the significance of our immigration checkpoint operations,” said Del Rio Sector Chief Patrol Agent Austin L. Skero. “Through skilled observation and experience, our agents were able to seize these dangerous narcotics and put these smugglers behind bars.” Agents assigned to the Eagle Pass Highway 277 Checkpoint referred a vehicle for secondary inspection where a K9 team performed a consented search of the vehicle. The search resulted in the discovery of 16 brown cellophane wrapped packages, later identified as methamphetamine, concealed inside the vehicle. The narcotics have an estimated street value wor...

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US Border Protection: Miami Field Office Announces FY20 Enforcement

MIAMI, FL (STL.News) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) Miami/Tampa Field Office have announced enforcement results for Fiscal Year 2020. The federal fiscal year started October 1, 2019 and ended Sepember 30, 2020. CBP officers seized: More than 2695 pounds of cocaine 149 pounds of ecstasy 92 pounds of methamphetamine 1234 pounds of marijuana during the fiscal year CBP officers made 723 arrests; among these were individuals who had outstanding warrants for their arrests. There have been 316 firearms seized by CBP. A total of $2,559,482 in undeclared currency was seized while conducting inbound and outbound inspections. “Enforcement is a direct result of the vigilance, integrity and professionalism of CBP’s frontline personnel across Flo...

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Baltimore, MD: CBP Seizes Second Nigerian Hashish Load in Two Days

BALTIMORE, MD (STL.News) One day later finding hashish hidden inside seashells, Customs and Border Protection farming experts at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport found more hashish, now hidden within a tote of lemongrass within a air freight shipment from Nigeria. CBP agriculture experts analyzed the dispatch, shown as clothing and crayfish around September 30. Rather, CBP agriculture experts found prohibited wood processors, melon seeds, poultry seasoning, along with tetrapleura pods, that are a seed which generates a flowering plant in the pea family indigenous to Western Africa. Agriculture pros also discovered that the bag of lemongrass. Over the lemongrass, CBP agriculture experts found a comparable brownish material to that found from the seashells. C...

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US Border Patrol Agents Seize Nearly $1 Million Worth Of Narcotics

ALAMOGORDO, NM (STL.News) In separate incidents earlier this week, U.S. Border Patrol Agents arrested two narcotics smugglers and seized drugs with an estimated value of approximately $828,000. On October 4, U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Alamogordo immigration checkpoint on U.S. Highway 54, encountered a red Cadillac approaching the primary inspection area. Pursuant to an immigration inspection, a canine alerted to the possible presence of narcotics in the vehicle. During a further inspection of the vehicle, U.S. Border Patrol Agents located seven bundles concealed in the trunk. The packages contained seven pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of approximately $224,000. The driver, a 29-year-old lawfully admitted permanent resident male was placed under ...

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Border Patrol Seizes more than $450K Worth of Drugs in the Rio Grande Valley, TX

FRONTON, Texas (STL.News) In the early morning hours, Rio Grande City (RGC) agents foiled a drug smuggling attempt that led to the discovery of more than 575 pounds of marijuana. Yesterday morning, RGC agents working near Fronton, Texas, witnessed a Ford Ranger leaving the Rio Grande at a high rate of speed. Agents lost sight of the pickup for a short while until locating it abandoned on a private property along with a utility terrain vehicle, which was reported stolen out of Houston, Texas. An inspection of the Ranger revealed more than 576 pounds of marijuana worth more than $461K in the bed of the truck. An intensive search for the driver yielded negative results. Border Patrol turned the drugs over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Even with the spread of the COVID-19 virus...