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Port Security

De Minimis Shipment worth over $11 million stopped by Louisville CBP

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LOUISVILLE, Ky— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Louisville seized a de minimis shipment containing 35 counterfeit designer watches. The items were deemed to be inauthentic by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise , the agency’s trade experts, and if genuine, would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) over $11.7 million. The shipment arrived from Hong Kong and contained 35 watches bearing the protected trademark of Richard Mille. The watches were destined for a residence in Puerto Rico, and had a MSRP of $11.72 million, had they

43 Seizures of weapon parts in the first 43 Days of 2024

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CHICAGO– U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the International Mail Facility in Chicago seized a total of 117 weapon-modifying devices since January 1. In the first 43 days of 2024, Chicago CBP stopped 43 shipments carrying various parts used to modify weapons to either make them fully automatic or suppress the sound made by a gun shot. Officers seized nine shipments concealing a total of 55 pistol automatic fire conversion switches. There was one seizure containing five AR-15 “Auto Sear”, that convert a rifle to full automatic fire, and 33 seizures of shipments containing a

Super Team of Teams

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Astrid Gilbert’s job was defense on Super Bowl Sunday. But she wasn’t part of the San Francisco 49ers or the Kansas City Chiefs at the game played in Las Vegas; she was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations pilot. “I manned the aircraft that was in charge of aerial surveillance and reconnaissance,” said Gilbert, who normally flies out of Yuma, Arizona. She, along with a camera operator in the seat next to her, provided a video downlink to CBP forces and other federal, state and local law enforcement on the ground to keep an eye out for crowd control, traffic incidents

Deadly chemical compound intercepted by Cincinnati CBP

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CINCINNATI— U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the port of Cincinnati seized a shipment containing the deadly, addictive, and illegal substance Tianeptine on January 26. Officers seized the 12 pounds for violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). Tianeptine is an unapproved drug in the U.S. Although other countries have approved tianeptine, corporations are making dangerous and unproven claims that tianeptine can improve brain function and treat anxiety, depression, pain, opioid use disorder, and other conditions. Additionally, the Food and Drug

1 Night, 2 Packages, $9.58 million

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LOUISVILLE, Ky— Monday night, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Port of Louisville seized two shipments containing at total of 3,301 pieces of counterfeit designer rings, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings. The items were deemed to be inauthentic by CBP’s Centers of Excellence and Expertise , the agency’s trade experts, and if genuine, would have had a combined Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) over $9.58 million. The first shipment arrived from Hong Kong and contained jewelry bearing the trademarks of famous luxury brands, which included: 92 bracelets

Douglas CBP Officers Seize Weapons and Ammunition

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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers performing outbound enforcement operations at the Area Port of Douglas, Arizona (RHC), seized 13 weapons, eight (8) ammunition magazines, and 26,553 rounds of ammunition from one adult male United States citizen attempting to depart the United States. On January 16, 2024, CBP officers conducting outgoing inspections at the Raul H. Castro Port of Entry in Douglas, AZ referred a 25-year-old United States citizen man for additional inspection of his Chevy Suburban, as he attempted to enter Mexico through the port Tuesday afternoon. The search of

Big Bust by CBP Officers at the Area Port of Douglas

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TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Area Port of Douglas officers arrested a 19-year-old male attempting to smuggle nearly 492,000 blue fentanyl pills into the United States. On Friday, January 12, 2024, officers at the Area Port of Douglas referred a 19-year-old United States Citizen male, for additional inspection of his pickup truck as he attempted to enter the United States. The search led to the discovery of 500 packages of blue pills which were concealed in a compartment in bed of the pickup. Initial testing of the pills was positive for the

Drug Producing Devices Intercepted by Chicago CBP

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CHICAGO– Several shipments containing instruments drug traffickers use to manufacture illicit drugs were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Chicago on January 7. A few shipments contained pill press die sets, while another package concealed an entire pill press machine. In the wrong hands, individuals can use these pill presses to manufacture their drugs in tablet form. Drug traffickers can use these to create several narcotics, most commonly fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, or other synthetic opioids. The five shipments, which all arrived from China, were heading

Over 14,000 prohibited items stopped by Minnesota CBP during FY23

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MINNEAPOLIS– From October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2023 (FY23), U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialist (CBPAS) at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport prevented the possible introduction of livestock diseases and agricultural pests by performing almost 23,000 passenger inspections and intercepting over 14,000 prohibited items. When passengers are arriving or returning from overseas travel they are asked if they have anything to declare, specifically, pork, beef, or avian products, plants, plant materials, seeds for planting, and fruit. CBPAS are checking for meats and

CBP Officers Intercept 110 Pounds of Ketamine in U.K. Man’s Baggage at Detroit Metro Airport

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ROMULUS, Mich. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Office of Field Operations intercepted 110 pounds of ketamine in a traveler’s baggage at Detroit Metropolitan Airport on December 13. A citizen of the United Kingdom arrived on a flight from France and was selected for a secondary inspection. An x-ray scan and physical search of two large suitcases, which the man claimed were given to him by a family member, revealed plastic bags filled with large white crystals. Field tests identified the substance as ketamine. At $90 per gram, this ketamine load has a street value of over $4 million