Bologna bust: Border officers seize prohibited pork product

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — A big batch of bologna was blocked from crossing the border Thursday morning.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers staffing the Bridge of the Americas in South El Paso seized 14 rolls of Mexican pork bologna, which along with other pork products is prohibited because of the potential for introducing foreign animal diseases to the U.S. pork industry.

When asked what he was bringing from Mexico, the driver of a pickup with Texas license plates said he had frozen rolls of turkey ham, which where easily visible in the rear seat. But during a secondary inspection, border officers found 154 pounds of Mexican bologna behind the rear seat. Officers seized and destroyed the lunch meat, and the driver was released.

“It is important that travelers understand they should declare all items they are transporting from abroad to avoid fines and penalties. A properly declared prohibited item can be abandoned at the port without consequence,” CBP El Paso Port Director Beverly Good said in a statement.

According to a news release, CBP is entrusted with enforcing hundreds of laws of 40 other government agencies, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which require that unsafe items are not allowed to enter the United States.