see also: in October 2007 News Releases:   Cocaine Smuggler Tries To Trick El Paso CBP Officers by Hiding Drugs in Car Body   Border Patrol Agents in Texas Seize Marijuana Worth $1 Million Hidden Under Watermelons   Fingerprint Check Allows Border Patrol to Arrest Murder Suspect   Border Patrol Texas Task Force Seizes 500 Pounds of Marijuana   CBP Officers at Mail Facility Find Marijuana in Cement Statues, Opium   CBP at Newark Airport Discovers Man with Fraudulent Documents, False Claim to U.S. Citizenship ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Tecate, Calif. – The Tecate, Calif. port of entry will reopen to cargo truck traffic at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials announced today. The resumption of cargo processing comes in the wake of wildfires that last week threatened the facility and forced its evacuation on Sunday afternoon.

The port will resume processing the more than 300 cargo trucks that daily enter the eastern San Diego County border facility starting at 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time this week. Cargo truck processing hours will return to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 5 as the U.S. returns to Pacific Standard Time.

Due to roadway safety concerns by state officials, all cargo trucks will still be required to use SR-188 to SR-94 east when entering and exiting the U.S. at the Tecate port of entry until the roadways leading to the port are repaired. That repair effort is currently underway.

The port reopened on Monday at 5 a.m. to 11 p.m to process passenger cars and pedestrians entering and leaving the U.S. at the two-lane border facility.

CBP officials inspected the Tecate port facility over the weekend and determined that it suffered no damage from the fires. Following a cleanup of the facility, CBP officers began processing passenger cars and pedestrians Monday morning. The port’s electrical systems were restored and processing operations have proceeded with no delays.

“Commercial manufacturing and shipping firms on both sides of the border have been anxious for the Tecate port to resume cargo processing operations because the pre-Christmas season is very busy,” said Gurdit Dhillon, CBP director of field operations in San Diego. “We have worked closely with state and local authorities to ensure that the roads are safe for use by large cargo trucks before we opened the port to such traffic.”

Caltrans officials have initiated a highway repair effort to replace damaged guardrail and roadway signage in the area.

"Truck drivers are asked to drive with extreme caution and make turns slowly along eastbound SR-94," said Caltrans District Director Pedro Orso-Delgado. "At this time commercial vehicles are only allowed to travel east on Route 94 and can access Interstate 8 on 94 or Buckman Springs Road."

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.