see also: in October 2008:   Mexican Military Makes Accidental Incursion into the U.S.   CBP Officers Apprehend Illegal Alien Hidden on Rail Car   Border Patrol Agents Make Several Drug Seizures Near Laredo   CBP Officers at the Calexico Downtown Port of Entry Intercept Cocaine Smuggling Attempt   CBP to Open Andrade Port of Entry Earlier During Agriculture Harvest Season   Layered Enforcement Snags U.S. Citizen, Foils 3 Smuggling Attempts   CBP Announces Online Method for Meeting SENTRI Vehicle Requirements ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

contacts for this news release

Seattle – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and Consumer Product Safety Commission investigators seized 499 cartons of lead contaminated toy jewelry arriving from China on Tuesday, October 14. The shipment contained 4,990 pieces of jewelry valued at over $48,000 and was destined for Marietta, Ga. The toy shipment was targeted by CBP staff for an intensive examination. Samples were taken from the shipment and tested with the CPSC’s new XRF analyzer and were found to contain unacceptable levels of lead, in violation of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act.

"While our priority mission is to prevent terrorists and their weapons from entering the country, we are also responsible for keeping a wide variety of harmful products from reaching the American marketplace," said U.S. Customs and Border Protection Area Port Director Roland Suliveras. "Lead contaminated toys are one such product."

CBP works with the CPSC to prevent millions of hazardous or harmful lead contaminated products from entering U.S. ports and reaching American consumers. In fiscal year 2008, CBP in coordination with CPSC seized 46 shipments of lead contaminated toys with an estimated domestic value of over $450,000 at ports of entry across the country.

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.