Woman caught smuggling more than 700 pounds of bologna at Texas border

They got to the meat of the matter. One woman suffered a great loss this week after she was busted smuggling more than 700 pounds of illegal bologna across the US-Mexico border in Texas. The 43-year-old woman, who is an American citizen, tried to enter the country at the Presidio port of entry from Mexico Monday afternoon when she only declared a cooked meal during the primary inspection, according to the Customs and Border Protection. CBP agriculture specialists called her baloney and conducted a secondary inspection of the car, finding several suitcases stuffed with 40 rolls – 748 pounds – of Mexican bologna, a prohibited meat that poses a threat to America’s pork industry, officials said. “The concern with pork products is that they have the potential to introduce foreign animal diseases that can have devastating effects to the US economy and to our agriculture industry,” CBP Presidio Port Director Benito Reyes, Jr.said in a news release.

The meat was then confiscated and destroyed.Agents continued their search of the vehicle and confiscated 280 boxes of undeclared prescription drugs hidden inside various panels of the car and more than $7,600 in concealed currency, officials said.The vehicle was also seized and the driver was issued a $1,000 civil penalty, officials said.

“Even if they believe an item is allowed travelers should still declare all items they are transporting to the U.S.to avoid fines and penalties,” Reyes said.

...