C.B.P. News Release

Calif. Border Officers Thwart Rash of Unusual Violations

(Wednesday, December 23, 2009)

San Diego — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry along the California/Mexico border work each day to secure the nation’s border and stop illegal activity. While well known for seizing narcotics and stopping people from illegally entering the United States, these officers are also responsible for enforcing hundreds of other federal, state and local laws.

Here are some of the unusual illegal activities officers recently stopped:

Live Canaries
November 30, at about 5:15 p.m., CBP officers at the Tecate border crossing referred an 85-year-old female Mexican citizen, and resident of Tecate, Mexico, for a more intensive inspection. When the driver exited her vehicle as part of the inspection process, she was carrying a cage, covered in a towel, with two live canaries inside. CBP officers seized the undeclared birds; the driver paid a $300 penalty. ( Pets and Wildlife (pdf - 46 KB.) )

Alcohol in Spare Tire
December 8, at about 2:15 p.m., CBP officers at the Otay Mesa border crossing pulled aside a gold GMC Suburban driven by a 58-year-old male Mexican citizen, and resident of Wilmington, Calif. During inspection, officers discovered 15 bottles of alcohol hidden inside the vehicle’s spare tire. The driver paid a $562 penalty for his smuggling attempt.

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