United States Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists confiscated 14 rolls of illegal Mexican bologna, weighing in at 154 pounds, last week.
The seizure was made shortly after 9 a.m. at the Bridge of the Americas international crossing after a Chevrolet pickup with a Texas license plate entered the port from Mexico. A CBP officer performing a primary inspection spotted red rolls behind the rear seat of the truck. The officer asked the driver what he was bringing from Mexico and the driver advised he had frozen rolls of turkey ham.
The meat was reportedly seized because it is a "prohibited product made from pork and has the potential for introducing foreign animal diseases to the U.S. pork industry."
“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.
The meat was destroyed and the driver was released.
