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Lewiston, N.Y. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection fine a Canadian citizen for failure to report for inspection.

Today, CBP officers encountered a 58-year-old Canadian citizen (name withheld pending investigation) as he applied for admission into the United States at the Lewiston Bridge border crossing in Lewiston, N.Y.

The subject is a commercial truck driver and presented an invoice and manifest for a shipment of cut flowers destined to Buffalo area convenience stores. The subject’s paperwork was processed on the primary line, and his shipment was selected for a secondary examination.

At this point, the driver failed to report to the CBP secondary lot, and proceeded into the United States without permission. A brief search of the area south of the port was conducted by various law enforcement agencies, to include CBP Border Patrol, who located the truck and the driver approximately 10 miles from the border crossing on Interstate 190. The subject was escorted back to the border crossing where a complete inspection was conducted with negative results.

The driver advised CBP officers that he misunderstood the instructions and thought he was free to depart. As the driver had received clear and concise reporting instructions by the CBP officer and failed to report, he was charged with proceeding into the United States without authorization, and was fined $5,000.

“Individuals who fail to report for inspection at a port of entry could face criminal prosecutions, or receive a civil penalty of at least $5,000 and have their vehicle seized for the infraction,” said James T. Engleman, CBP director of field operations for the Buffalo Field Office.

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.