see also: in November 2005 Press Releases:   CBP Warns Consumers About Unsafe Toys and Counterfeit Products   Aduanas y Proteccion Fronteriza Recomiendan Tramitar con Tiempo Permiso I-94 Durante Epoca Decembrina   CBP Urges Mexican Holiday Travelers to Apply Early for I-94 Documents   U. S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Seize Nearly 2 Kilos of Cocaine at Newark Liberty International Airport   Calexico Port of Entry to Process I-94 Permits for Mexican Holiday Travelers Immediately   Puerto de Calexico Procesara Permisos I-94 de Manera Expedita a Viajeros Durante Epoca Navideña ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, the U.S. Interdiction Coordinator (USIC) Awards Committee announced that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) P-3 Program took top honors in the “Aviation: Fixed-wing Operations” category and Border Patrol Canine Handler Daniel Testa was selected in the “Land Interdiction” category for 2005. USIC Awards recognize top-performing units and organizations that have shown exceptional innovation, tactics, aggressiveness, and results in the war against the illegal drug trade.

CBP P-3s based in Jacksonville, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas contributed to the seizure of over 210,779 pounds (105 tons) of illegal drugs – over 38,600 more pounds (19 tons) than last year – with an estimated value of over $1.7 billion. CBP P-3 aircraft crews flew nearly 11,000 hours last year, often sight unseen, providing constant aerial surveillance and coordinating reports to marine assets on the water, which are critical to the tracking, interdiction, and confiscation of illegal drugs, drug traffickers, and their assets.

“These same CBP Air P-3 aircrews, which play a critical role in stopping drugs from entering the United States, fly missions over the Caribbean and eastern Pacific that prevent terrorists and illegal aliens from breaching our borders,” said CBP P-3 and National Security Operations Director Tony Crowder, who lauded the CBP Air Surveillance Branches’ (West/East) past year’s accomplishments.

CBP Border Patrol Canine Handler Daniel Testa, assigned to the Tucson Border Patrol Sector with his dog “Boro,” recorded over 100 seizures, yielding more than 17,000 pounds of illicit narcotics and 700 illegal aliens.

“I am very proud of the extra effort exhibited by Border Patrol Agent Testa and Boro,” said CBP Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar. “The CBP canine program is one of the largest and most successful programs in Federal Government. All of our canine teams are focused on their primary mission of anti-terrorism and their pledge to protect the citizens of this great nation.”

The CBP Border Patrol Canine Unit has approximately 540 dog/handler teams dispersed along the northern, southern, and coastal borders. They have been dual trained to detect narcotics and concealed humans since 1986. Their ability to detect concealed humans plays an integral role in the CBP mission of anti-terrorism.

During fiscal year 2005, the entire CBP Canine Program was responsible for over 3,000 seizures, resulting in over 482,000 pounds of drugs and 46,000 illegal aliens.

Award presentations will be coordinated between USIC and the winning organizations.

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.