The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations intercepted significant quantities of prohibited plant and animal materials over the first week of January.
Over a four-day period, ending on Jan. 8, CBP agriculture specialists at Laredo, TX, Port of Entry international bridges, made 540 interceptions of prohibited plant materials, 221 interceptions of prohibited animal materials and issued 57 penalties, totaling $18,375 in fines.
“Our CBP agriculture specialists and agriculture canine teams this weekend faced a significant amount of traffic and increased risk of prohibited plants and animal material entering the U.S.,” said Port Director Albert Flores. “Their targeted examinations and close work with Texas Game Wardens as a force multiplier yielded significant quantities of prohibited items and helped to protect American agriculture from unestablished pests and diseases.”
