see also: in August 2005 Press Releases:   DHS: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Formally Submitted for Public Comment   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Canine Superstar Wins Paws to Recognize Voting Contest   Border Patrol Seizes Refrigerated Truck Trailer Loaded with Aliens   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Selects the “Predator B” as Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platform to Guard our Nations Borders   CBP Border Patrol Agents Arrest Murder Suspect   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Apprehends Man Wanted for Murder   CBP Aircraft Coordinates Vessel Interdiction; Major Load of Cocaine Seized ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers on the web:   U.S. Department of Agriculture

contacts for this news release

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) today announced that all quarantine restrictions placed last Fall on the importation of certain fruits and vegetables following the detection of the Mediterranean Fruit Fly in Tijuana have been rescinded.

The San Diego CBP field office received notification that the restrictive measures implemented in September 2004 on Medfly host materials ended last Friday.

Measures in effect during the quarantine included a temporary ban on the importation of certain fruits and vegetables that were considered Medfly host material. CBP also implemented increased fruit cutting and sealing requirements for shipments of affected produce moving through U.S. ports west of San Luis, Ariz. Additionally, CBP required a Phytosanitary Certificate with each shipment that listed the origin of the produce and included a statement that the goods were grown, packed and stored outside of the municipality of Tijuana in Baja Calif., Mexico.

The end of the Medfly alert will allow pedestrians and motorists who enter the U.S. at Calif. Ports of entry to once again bring tomatos, dates, eggplant, grapes, lemons, olives, papaya, prickly pear fruit and peppers (except Manzano peppers).

Travelers who have additional questions regarding the entry of produce from Mexico into the U.S. may contact their nearest port of entry or go to the U.S. Department of Agriculture web site ( U.S. Department of Agriculture ) .

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 the 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.