Skip to main content

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  • Archived Content
    In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated.
  1. Home
  2. Newsroom
  3. Local Media Release
  4. CBP Agriculture Specialists, Officers Intercept Prohibited Agriculture Items at Eagle Pass Port of Entry

CBP Agriculture Specialists, Officers Intercept Prohibited Agriculture Items at Eagle Pass Port of Entry

Release Date
Tue, 08/18/2020
CBP agriculture specialists discovered prohibited peppers hidden within a passenger vehicle at Eagle Pass Port of Entry
CBP agriculture specialists discovered 22 pounds of
prohibited fresh peppers within a passenger vehicle at
Eagle Pass Port of Entry.

EAGLE PASS, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists intercept a total of 22 pounds of fresh peppers and 2.2 pounds of deeply concealed wheat seed from a passenger vehicle at Camino Real International Bridge.

“Our frontline CBP agriculture specialists, working in tandem with CBP agriculture specialist canine enforcement teams, demonstrated outstanding vigilance and seized a well-hidden load of prohibited agricultural items,” said Port Director Paul Del Rincon, Eagle Pass Port of Entry. “Their tireless dedication to protecting American agriculture helps to advance CBP’s border security mission and protect America’s economic security.”

The interception occurred on Friday, August 14th at the Camino Real International Bridge when a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan was selected for a secondary examination. During the examination, and with the assistance of a CBP agriculture specialist canine enforcement team, CBP agriculture specialists seized a total of 22 pounds of fresh peppers and 2.2 pounds of wheat seed hidden within the vehicle’s factory floor compartment.

CBP agriculture specialists issued a $300 penalty and seized all prohibited agriculture items. Fresh peppers have been prohibited from entry in the passenger environment since the implementation of a federal order by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) in November 2019 that restricts the importation of tomatoes and fresh peppers to prevent the introduction of the Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV).  For more information, see the following news release.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Jul 08, 2024