U.S. Customs & Border Protection Identify Numerous Violations This Past Week

EL PASO, TEXAS U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers performing anti-terrorism inspections at El Paso area ports of entry seized 1,699 pounds of marijuana in 16 different drug seizures this week. Area CBP officers also identified numerous immigration, agriculture, and other violations during the past seven days. The largest marijuana seizure of the week occurred Friday at the Ysleta crossing at the El Paso port of entry when CBP officers seized 453 pounds of marijuana. The seizure was made shortly after 8 a.m. when a 1996 Dodge Ram pick up entered the port from Mexico. A CBP officer referred the vehicle to the secondary inspection where CBP drug sniffing dog Monroe gave a positive alert to the gas tank of the vehicle. CBP officers x-rayed the vehicle and spotted a dense area in the fuel tank. The area was probed which produced a green substance that tested positive for marijuana. CBP officers removed a total of 83 marijuana-filled bundles from the fuel tank. U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement (ICE) special agents arrested the driver, 25-year-old Stephanie Marie Leemhuis of Abeline Texas, in connection with the failed smuggling attempt. CBP officers working at El Paso area ports nabbed a total of 17 fugitives this past week. Some of the people were being sought for charges including larceny, forgery, parole violation and local warrants. CBP officers have nabbed 489 wanted people since October 1, 2005, the beginning of the fiscal year. Last year area CBP officers apprehend in excess of 1,200 wanted people while performing anti-terror inspections at area ports of entry. CBP officers identified 83 immigration violations at El Paso ports during the past week. CBP officers identified 47 intended immigrant cases (people with legitimate entry documents intending to live/work illegally in the U.S.), 17 false claims for U.S. citizenship, 11 imposters (people using a legitimate document not assigned to the person), six people attempting to enter the U.S. with counterfeit entry documents, and two visa overstay violations. Area CBP officers this week identified a total of 10 attempts to smuggle prohibited food and agricultural products, resulting in $1,225 in penalties being assessed. Prohibited food and agriculture items seized during the past week included raw eggs, mangos, avocados, oranges, apples, plums, hibiscus leaves and live potted plants. Dozens of similar prohibited items were abandoned at the ports after being declared by border crossers. In addition to the seizure activity described above, area CBP officers discovered 13 illegal export violations resulting in $6,500 in penalties being assessed. Anti-terrorism remains the primary mission of CBP. The intensive inspection process associated with the anti-terror mission continues to yield impressive enforcement numbers in all categories.