A woman was busted in Presidio, Texas, for smuggling more than 700 pounds of prohibited Mexican bologna and more than 280 boxes of undeclared prescription medications through the Southern Border.
The suspect, a 43-year-old U.S. citizen, was caught at about 4 p.m. on Monday at the Presidio Port of Entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
She was arriving from Mexico driving a 2023 GMC Yukon when she was stopped, and she declared only a cooked meal during the initial inspection, CBP said.
CBP agriculture specialists initiated a secondary inspection and discovered several suitcases in the vehicle that appeared heavier than expected.
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The specialists opened a suitcase and found several rolls of Mexican bologna inside. A total of 40 rolls were found in the suitcases, which ended up as 748 pounds of the illegal meat.
Mexican bologna is prohibited because it is made from pork and could bring foreign animal diseases to the U.S. pork industry, CBP said.
“We stress that it is important that travelers educate themselves on what products are allowed to be legally entered from abroad,” CBP Presidio Port Director Benito Reyes, Jr. said in a statement. “And even if they believe an item is allowed travelers should still declare all items they are transporting to the U.S. to avoid fines and penalties.”
“The concern with pork products is that they have the potential to introduce foreign animal diseases that can have devastating effects to the U.S. economy and to our agriculture industry,” he continued.
More than 280 boxes of undeclared medication were also found hidden inside various panels of the vehicle. These medications include Tramadol, which is a schedule IV controlled substance, as well as Fentermina, Alprazolam, Clonazapam, Diazapam, Farmapram, Ampigran and Sulfamethoxazole.
The bologna was seized and destroyed by the CBP agriculture specialists.
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CBP officers also seized the medication, the vehicle and more than $7,600 in concealed currency.
The woman was issued a $1,000 civil penalty in connection with the smuggling incident.
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