see also: in November 2008:   Thanksgiving Day Marijuana Seizure Yields 450 Pounds at Douglas Port of Entry   Registered Sex Offender Intercepted by CBP at Pacific Highway Entry   CBP Officers Seize 145 Pounds of Ecstasy at Vermont Entry   CBP Officers in Boston Seize Undeclared $19,300   CBP Advises Travelers of Temporary Construction at Otay Mesa Border Crossing   CBP Officers in Niagara Falls Arrest Man Wanted in California   Customs and Border Protection Officers in New York Arrest Imposter ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

New Orleans - For a moment, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and agricultural specialists in the Port of New Orleans thought they might be living out a scene in a movie. They recently had an unusual arrival in the Port of New Orleans. Passenger Fernando Passow, a German citizen, and his canine companion arrived aboard the M/V Africa Gracea after their sailboat suffered a mishap northeast of the Bahamas.

This is not the typical route taken by a passenger on their journey to the United States. "Our CBP officers were pleased to be able to meet Mr. Passow and his canine companion today and help them both return home safely,” said Mitch Merriam, U.S. Customs and Border Protection area port director in New Orleans. “We wish them well and hope both can continue their adventures at sea again in the future.”

The ability of CBP to assist Mr. Passow with this out of the ordinary arrival is a direct result of information sharing between many federal agencies. CBP in New Orleans was first notified of the castaways’ pending arrival by the local United States Coast Guard station. With this advance information, CBP was able to conduct pre-arrival research on Mr. Passow to make sure all was in order. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service was contacted to see if they had any concerns with the dog. Again, all was in order.

"In addition to our law enforcement mission, we often find ourselves working together with the U.S. Coast Guard on providing humanitarian assistance,” said Robert C. Gomez, U.S. Customs and Border Protection director of operations in New Orleans. “I am most pleased to see that both the passenger and his canine partner survived this ordeal.” Mr. Passow was admitted for a sufficient length of time to take care of any business regarding the sinking of his sailboat and to make arrangements to depart the United States.

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.