The Mother of All Seizures;Strange CBP Seizures in Laredo
By
KGNS News
Story Created:
Aug 3, 2012 at 6:45 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Aug 3, 2012
Seizures along the border are commonplace, but one recent seizure is receiving national attention. As Valerie Gonzalez-Sanchez reports, it's not the first time CBP encounters seizures of this kind.
CBP Officers are trained to look for the unusual, the hidden, and especially the illegal. Recently, they came upon the mother of all seizures, or should I say, mummy? CBP agents found and seized two priceless Egyptian sarcophagi-type artifacts, for lack of proper documentation.
Rick Pauza, CBP Public Information Officer, explains where those items are: "Right now, they are going through the forfeiture process, and eventually, if there is no valid petition granted on these items, they will be returned to the country of Egypt."
But strange seizures at the border have happened before. "Actually, a few years ago, we had a seizure of Peruvian artifacts, in 2009. We intercepted some artifacts that were in the luggage of an airline passenger arriving from Lima, Peru."
Upon investigating the home of the passenger, other artifacts were found and were also internationally protected items. As a result, the items were seized, forfeited, and returned to Peru.
Seizures along the border range from the strange to the bizarre. Take for instance the 2010 seizure of 43 dead and skinned iguanas. They were suspected of being smuggled into the US as meat, considered to be a delicacy in Latin America.
For now, CBP continues to work hard to ensure our border's safety. "We're excited to make a seizure like this, because they obviously have a lot of historical value."
Valerie Gonzalez-Sanchez, Pro8News.
In order to avoid seizures of fines, CBP recommends you visit their website - www.cbp.gov - and type in "know before you go." There they provide a list of what is and is not allowed into the U.S.
