see also: in March 2009:   Buffalo CBP Officers Arrest 2 for Suspected Passport Fraud   Yuma Sector Welcomes New Patrol Agent in Charge of Intel   Border Patrol Intercepts Cocaine Cache Valued at $500K   Border Patrol Nabs 15 Mexican Nationals on California Coast   CBP Helicopter, BORSTAR Agents Evacuate Resident and Pets from Flood Waters   CBP Awards Contract for Technology Design, Deployment on Northern Border ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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El Paso, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Ysleta international crossing Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) lane fined a local man $500 Monday after they discovered undeclared prohibited food items in the vehicle he was driving. The man also lost his SENTRI (commonly called DCL locally) crossing privileges.

“The DCL is a trusted traveler program with an absolute zero tolerance policy for violations,” said William Molaski, U.S. Customs and Border Protection El Paso port director. “We maintain the integrity of the program through random and targeted screenings of DCL users. We trust but we will also verify that DCL users are complying with the rules of the DCL program and the laws of the U.S.”

The SENTRI/DCL seizure was made at approximately 8:30 p.m., when a 2002 GMC Yukon entered the port facility from Mexico. A CBP officer at the primary inspection booth received a negative declaration for fruits, vegetables, meats and plants from the driver. The vehicle was selected for a secondary inspection during which the driver made additional negative declarations for food items. CBP officers searched the vehicle and discovered groceries which included a number of prohibited items. CBP officers seized pork skins, pork lard and one orange. The driver, a 33-year-old El Paso man with U.S. citizenship, was fined $500 and surrendered his SENTRI card to CBP.

“Not only do the items we seized pose a risk to the U.S. agriculture industry, the driver violated the terms of DCL membership by trying to import these items through the DCL lane,” said Molaski.

In addition to the DCL seizure, CBP officers at the Bridge of the Americas international crossing yesterday seized 104 pounds of marijuana from a 69-year-old Juarez man. The violator had the drugs concealed in a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria he was driving. The man was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents for prosecution. Anti-terror is the primary mission of CBP however thorough inspections at border ports of entry continue to generate impressive enforcement activity in all areas.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.