C.B.P. News Release

CBP Detains Port-Running Subject; $5,000 Penalty Assessed

(Thursday, July 09, 2009)

Del Rio, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry recently detained a woman who had run the port of entry and assessed her a $5,000 penalty.

The incident occurred on July 8 at the International Bridge. CBP officers had processed a 2002 Pontiac Grand Am driven by a 21-year-old U.S. citizen from Del Rio in the secondary inspection and she was returning to Mexico after CBP officers had discovered a commercial quantity of food items in her vehicle. Commercial quantities of food items require a commercial entry.

The driver had begun to proceed south toward the toll booth but then turned against one-way traffic and proceeded north, going past the port of entry facility and into the United States. CBP officers working the southbound area saw the vehicle making the illegal turn and followed the vehicle. The driver stopped and pulled over when they realized they were being followed.

CBP officers returned the port runner vehicle to the port of entry. CBP officers issued a $5,000 penalty to the driver and seized the vehicle.

“We would like to remind the general public of the dangers to public safety posed by port running incidents,â€