C.B.P. News Release

Philly CBP Intercepts Swine Leg with Hoof in Luggage

(Friday, June 29, 2012)
Philadelphia– The ham bone’s connected to the ….

It’s prohibited, but there’s nothing unusual about passengers trying to bring pork products back to the United States from Spain. But Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at Philadelphia International Airport admit the sight of a cured 12-pound swine leg, complete with bone and hoof, packed in someone’s luggage is a bit unusual.

Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists seized a 12-pound swine leg with hoof from a passenger who arrived at Philadelphia International Airport from Spain Wednesday.

Swine products from Spain cannot be imported to the United States without proper certificates because of concerns with foreign animal diseases such as Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy and Classical Swine Fever.

“Our primary concern with animal products from countries and continents that have experienced animal disease is the potentially devastating impact of that disease on America’s livestock industries,” said Allan Martocci, CBP Port Director for the Area Port of Philadelphia. “Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists take very seriously their job as front-line protectors of America’s agriculture.”

The passenger, who was heading to Maryland, arrived Wednesday and was referred to a secondary agriculture inspection for declaring “a cured ham leg” in their luggage.

Passengers arriving from Spain can import ham products if they possess official governmental certifications, such as a Health Inspection Certificate for Meat Food Products from Spain or an importation permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The passenger provided no certificates.

CBP agriculture specialists advised the passenger why the product was prohibited and seized the ham leg for destruction. The passenger was not fined.

“We do expect passengers to truthfully declare whatever they are bringing to the United States from overseas, and we appreciate this passenger’s honesty,” said Martocci. “We do not assess civil penalties in agriculture seizures to honest passengers.”

Passengers who are less than truthful face monetary penalties. A typical penalty is $300, but repeat offenders may face penalties of $500 or more.

For more information on what you can and cannot bring to the United States from overseas, please visit CBP’s Travel site. ( CBP Travel Site )

CBP agriculture specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspection. On a typical day, they inspect tens of thousands of international air passengers, and air and sea cargoes nationally being imported to the United States and seize 4,291 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 470 insect pests.

To learn more about CBP agriculture specialists, please visit the CBP Careers page. ( CBP Careers )

CBP agriculture specialists work closely with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to protect our nation’s agriculture industries against the introduction of animal diseases.

For more on the USDA APHIS program, please visit the APHIS website. ( APHIS )

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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Department of Homeland Security

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