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  4. CBP officers seize rooster blades at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge

CBP officers seize rooster blades at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge

Release Date
Fri, 08/04/2023

 LAREDO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers assigned to the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge seized prohibited rooster blades used for illegal cockfighting.

“Cockfighting is an inhumane, age-old practice that is primarily associated to other illegal activities such as gambling and trafficking,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “CBP aims to prevent these acts of animal cruelty with this seizure, which aides in the protection and welfare of these animals.”

Rooster blades, commonly used in cockfighting, seized by CBP officers at Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo, Texas.
Rooster blades, commonly used in cockfighting, seized by CBP officers at Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo, Texas.

The seizure occurred on Thursday, Aug. 3, at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge, when a CBP officer referred a Ford E350 for a secondary inspection. Following a physical inspection of the vehicle, six packages containing a total of 96 rooster blades were discovered within the drivers’ personal belongings.

These blades are illegal in the U.S. under Title 7 U.S. Code 2156 that states the buying, selling, delivering, or transporting sharp instruments for use in animal fighting ventures is prohibited.

CBP seized the merchandise and issued a $500 penalty on the driver for attempting to transport a prohibited item.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Laredo Field Office on Twitter at @DFOLaredo and also U.S. Customs and Border Protection at @CBPSouthTexas for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.

Last Modified: Aug 22, 2023