230 pounds of bologna seized at Bridge of the Americas and Santa Teresa ports of entry
EL PASO, Texas - Agriculture Specialists with U.S. Customs and Border Protection thwarted two separate attempts to smuggle prohibited pork bologna from entering into the U.S.
A 23-year-old man arrived at the inspection area of the Bridge of the Americas on Feb. 25. When prompted to declare what he was bringing in from Mexico, CBP officers stated he gave them a negative agriculture declaration. He was sent to a secondary inspection where officers discovered rolls of the port bologna hidden inside.
The man admitted his friend has paid him to import the bologna. His wife, driving in a separate vehicle was then referred to a secondary inspection where more rolls were found hidden in the vehicle. Between the two, CBP officer seized a total of 110 pounds of illegal pork bologna.
On Feb. 28 at the Santa Teresa border crossing a 59-year-old resident of Santa Fe, New Mexico drove up to the primary inspection point and gave a negative declarations for agricultural products.
CBP officer sent him to a secondary inspection where anomalies in the vehicle's cargo area were detected. A search turned up 13 rolls or about 120 pounds of pork bologna.
here is nothing funny about these failed smuggling attempts,” said CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha. “The importation of unregulated pork products has the potential to introduce foreign animal diseases which can be detrimental to our nation’s agriculture industry.”
Both men are U.S. citizens, all three were issued civil penalties for failure to declare commercial quantities of bologna.
The confiscated rolls were seized and destroyed by CBP per USDA regulations.
