SANTA TERESA: 30 rolls of contraband bologna were seized at the border by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists.
According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office, a Toyota Highlander with Texas license plates entered the Santa Teresa port from Mexico.
The driver made a negative declaration for any agricultural products to officers CBP reports, though an inspection of the vehicle found rolls of bologna hidden under toys and personal belongings.
Those rolls were then seized and destroyed and the driver was fined $1,000.
“Travelers should understand that they can avoid civil penalties by declaring all agricultural items they are importing from Mexico. If the item they declare is prohibited it can be abandoned at the port without consequence,” said CBP Santa Teresa Acting Port Director Jesse Proctor. “CBP agriculture specialists are highly trained and have the knowledge to recognize the presence of pests or disease on agricultural commodities as well as to identify prohibited products.”