Chicago - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport apprehended a wanted Minnesota man after he arrived on a flight from Ghana via Amsterdam on Monday.
While conducting a routine check, CBP officers found that Kwaku Prempeh, 42, was the subject of an outstanding National Criminal Information Center arrest warrant for probation violation, criminal vehicular operator and driving under the influence out of Hennepin County, Minn. After confirming his identity and warrant with authorities, CBP officers turned Prempeh over to the Metropolitan Airport Commission Police Department to await extradition.
The NCIC is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies. Each year, CBP apprehends wanted criminals at and between ports of entry with the assistance of the NCIC, which contains a variety of records including data received from federal, state and local law enforcement.
"The use of law enforcement databases and intelligence by CBP officers at international ports of entry is extremely instrumental in the apprehension of wanted and sometime very dangerous individuals seeking to enter this country," said David Murphy, CBP director of field operations in Chicago. "This is another good example of the vital work done by CBP at international airports in order to keep this country safe."
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection mission is to keep terrorists and their weapons from entering the United States. While welcoming all legitimate travelers and trade, CBP officers also enforce all applicable U.S. laws to prevent narcotics, agricultural pests and smuggled goods from entering the U.S.