February 18, 11

NEWS / St. Louis CBP Officers Arrest Outbound Traveler

St. Louis. — On Feb. 15, Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended a female U.S. Citizen with a warrant at Lambert – St. Louis International Airport. CBP officers conducting routine checks on a departing flight bound for Cancun, Mexico, discovered Amy DeBourge, 30, as the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant for unlawful acquisition of a controlled substance.

CBP officers intercepted DeBourge prior to her boarding the flight and identified her as a positive match to the NCIC warrant. NCIC is the abbreviation for National Criminal Information Center and is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies. CBP officers arrested DeBourge in coordination with the Lambert Airport Police, who turned her over to the St. Louis County Police Department for extradition to Granite City, Ill.

“This apprehension further demonstrates CBP commitment to protecting our homeland,” said David Murphy, CBP director of Field Operations in Chicago. “The use of a law enforcement database by CBP officers in St. Louis was instrumental in the apprehension of this wanted individual.

“The arrest is another fine example of CBP in action and partnerships with local law enforcement agencies to catch fugitives who try to run from the law.

”U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s top priority is to keep terrorists and their weapons from entering the United States. While welcoming all legitimate travelers and trade, CBP officers enforce all applicable U.S. laws. CBP prevents narcotics, agricultural pests and smuggled goods from entering and exiting the country and also identifies and arrests those with outstanding criminal warrants.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/local/02172011_2.xml