see also: in July 2007 News Releases:   CBP Air and Marine Acquires Helicopters for Border Security Mission   CBP Officers At El Paso Port Nab 50 Pounds Of Cocaine; Two Juveniles Taken Into Custody   CBP Border Patrol Agent Dies In the Line of Duty   Hong Kong to Scan U.S.-Bound Goods for Radiation as Part of Secure Freight Initiative   Border Patrol Assists in Third Canal Rescue in a Week   CBP Officers Apprehend Fugitive Wanted For Murder, Rape, Burglary   Operation Streamline Nets 1,200-Plus Prosecutions in Arizona ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Anchorage, Alaska, have thwarted a recent increase in smuggled “rough” diamonds. Between May and June, Anchorage CBP seized six shipments of smuggled or possibly “conflict” diamonds worth $350,000.

A conflict diamond is mined in a war zone and sold to finance military action in opposition to legitimate and internationally recognized governments. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is a process designed to certify the origin of diamonds from sources that are free of conflict. Various U.S. federal government departments and a multi-national diamond consortium administer the certification. It is designed to break the link between illicit sales of diamonds and armed conflict and to reassure diamond buyers that their purchase has not contributed to violence or the abuse of human rights.

The Clean Diamond Trade Act and the Kimberley Process Certification requires an original certificate to accompany imports of rough diamonds from participating countries and be authenticated by a CBP officer. A shipment of rough diamonds imported into the U.S. from a participating country must also be sealed in a tamper-resistant container. Any diamond shipment that lacks either of the criteria is subject to seizure by CBP.

On May 16, a shipment from Hong Kong to New York City via the Anchorage Federal Express hub was discovered by CBP officers to contain two smuggled diamonds inside a newspaper. Worth $29,000 retail, the shipment was manifested as a document. All subsequent diamond seizures were made by CBP officers at the Anchorage Federal Express hub.

On May 18, a shipment sent from the same Hong Kong seller and the same New York City buyer was discovered containing nine smuggled diamonds concealed inside a magazine. Worth almost $18,000 retail, this shipment was also manifested as a document.

On May 25, a package was shipped from Bangkok, Thailand, to New York City via Anchorage Fed Ex manifested as rough stone. Concealed under yellow quartz stones was a small package of rough diamonds. The gems were shipped from a participating country of the Kimberly process. No certificate was provided and the diamonds were not packaged in tamper-resistant containers. Weighing 442 grams, the diamonds were appraised at $300,085.

Another Bangkok to New York City shipment was seized by CBP on May 26 after it was found to contain a small quantity of rough diamonds worth almost $44,000. The shipment had neither the Kimberley Process Certificate nor was it in tamper-proof containers.

CBP seized two more shipments of rough diamonds on June 4 and June 16, worth over $31,000 and almost $200 respectively. One was shipped from Taipei, Taiwan, via Anchorage to Antwerp, Belgium, the other from Bangkok to South Carolina.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 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.