see also: in September 2006 News Releases:   CBP Seized Heroin Onboard Mayaguez Ferry   The Dominican Republic to Implement Container Security Initiative and Begin Targeting and Pre-Screening Cargo Destined For U.S.   Bahamas to Implement Container Security Initiative and Begin Targeting and Pre-Screening Cargo Destined for United States   Civil Penalties for Agriculture Import Violations to Increase October 1   CBP Border Patrol Arrests Homicide Suspect in Abilene, Texas   Border Patrol Advanced Training to Move to Charleston, S.C.   National Guard Spots Attempted Vehicle Drive-through ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers on the web:   United States Department of Agriculture

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Tecate - Agricultural enforcement efforts earlier this month by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Tecate port of entry resulted in the confiscation from travelers of a significant amount of prohibited agricultural products, officials announced today.

CBP officers and agriculture specialists inspected almost 600 vehicles and over 800 pedestrians during an unannounced agricultural inspection operation conducted over a five-day period beginning September 4 at the Tecate border station.

Officers found prohibited plant and animal products in seven percent of the vehicles and five percent of the travelers entering the U.S. on-foot. Included were 22 instances of prohibited poultry and pork products and 103 incidents involving prohibited plants and fruits.

“CBP is responsible for enforcing numerous agricultural laws in an effort to keep foreign plant and animal pests and parasites from threatening U.S. agricultural resources,” said Port Director Mitch Merriam. “Many travelers entering the U.S. may unknowingly carry these threats into our communities and could seriously damage our food supply.”

Because of these risks, travelers entering the U.S. are required to declare all items acquired in Mexico, including any meats, plants, animals, vegetables or fruits. Failure to declare any items can result in substantial fines. Agricultural items taken from the U.S. into Mexico may not be allowed to reenter.

“It is not often understood by travelers that pork products from Mexico, both cooked and uncooked, are not allowed entry into the U.S. to prevent the spread of Classical Swine Fever, also known as hog cholera,” Merriam said. “Although it does not cause illness in people, economic losses to pork producers in this country would be severe if the disease were to become established. For this reason, CBP officers will not allow cooked or uncooked pork products from Mexico into our country.”

Uncooked poultry products and live birds are also prohibited from entry into the U.S. from Mexico to exclude the introduction of Exotic Newcastle disease. Virus-bearing material from infected birds, bird parts such as feathers, manure and other materials can survive for several weeks in a warm and humid environment, Merriam said.

Smuggled birds pose a great risk of introducing Exotic Newcastle disease into U.S. poultry flocks. Although they show no symptoms, these animals are capable of shedding the virus for over a year, he added.

Between 2002 and 2003, an Exotic Newcastle disease outbreak in Southern California resulted in the quarantine of 18,000 residences and facilities, the depopulation of three million birds and a cost of about $150 million.

“Because of the serious risk to the American poultry industry, our officers will not allow the entry of uncooked chickens or chicken parts, eggs, and live birds,” Merriam said.

During the five-day enforcement operation, CBP officers seized a significant quantity of Mexican fruits which can serve as a host to Mexican Fruit Fly and can cause devastation to U.S. agriculture. A variety of plant materials are prohibited entry including mangoes, guavas, apples, pears, oranges, peaches and pomegranates.

Travelers seeking more agricultural quarantine information can obtain the pamphlet entitled, “Know Before You Go”, available from most ports of entry or on CBP’s Internet web site at www.CBP.gov. Information about U.S. laws and regulations is also available at United States Department of Agriculture ( United States Department of Agriculture ) . Questions about prohibited items can be answered by calling toll-free 1-877-CBP-5511.

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.