October 1, 09

NEWS / Brownsville CBP Officers Intercept Shipment of Thousands of Scorpions, Ants

Brownsville, Texas — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered thousands of dead scorpions and ants in a shipment at the Veterans’ Bridge cargo lot. The scorpions were to be encapsulated in Lucite and sold at a local flea market.

On September 21, a traveler arriving from Mexico declared the shipment of scorpions and ants. Since the intent of the shipment was for commercial resale, the traveler was sent to the cargo lot where CBP officers examined the shipment and found 12 gallons of dead scorpions and two gallons of dead ants.

The shipment lacked the required commercial entry, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wildlife importation documentation.

Wildlife in any form, including pets, imported into or exported from the United States must be declared on FWS form 3-177, declaration for importation or exportation of fish or wildlife, and cleared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prior to release by CBP.

“This is a good interception in our cargo lot in Brownville,” said Michael T. Freeman, port director at the CBP port of Brownsville. “CBP enforces hundreds of laws and we work with federal, state and local agencies in a continued effort to protect our country.”

CBP officers working side-by-side with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized the shipment of scorpions and ants.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/10012009.xml

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