Customs and Border Protection Officers Discover Marijuana; Canadian Arrested, Frequent Traveler Membership Revoked

(Tuesday, August 05, 2008)

Buffalo, N.Y. – CBP officers yesterday encountered Brian Delaney, a 71-year-old Canadian citizen from St. Catherines, Ontario, as he applied for admission into the United States at the Peace Bridge border crossing, Buffalo, New York. Delaney is a participant in the NEXUS alternative inspection program and was utilizing the NEXUS dedicated lane to facilitate his crossing.

CBP officers selected Delaney’s vehicle for inspection. During a cursory trunk examination, a gym bag was searched revealing a plastic container with a small amount of suspected marijuana. Delaney was then escorted to CBP secondary for an enforcement exam.

During a secondary inspection of the vehicle, a CBP canine narcotics detector dog was utilized and alerted to the drivers’ side door panel. A physical search of the door panel revealed a soap container with 5 marijuana cigarettes. A total of 27 grams of marijuana was seized by CBP.

Delaney was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and turned over to the Buffalo Police Department for prosecution by the Erie County District Attorney’s Office. Delaney’s NEXUS card was seized and his membership was immediately revoked.
“As there is a higher level of trust with participants in the CBP trusted traveler programs such as NEXUS, and CBP makes every effort to prosecute violators to the fullest extent of the law,â€