Feds seize illegal tamales - we are safe now

[madoka]

The latest large seizure of illegal contraband at Los Angeles International Airport didn't involve narcotics.

Federal authorities seized 450 pork tamales from the luggage of a traveler arriving from Mexico.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Wednesday that the traveler's customs form acknowledged the person was carrying food, but the traveler lied when asked if there was any meat.

A search turned up the individually wrapped pork tamales. The CBP enforces federal regulations on importing meat, which carry disease risks.

"Although tamales are a popular holiday tradition, foreign meat products can carry serious animal diseases," said Anne Maricich, CBP acting director of field operations in Los Angeles.

The tamales were destroyed under CBP supervision.

The traveler was assessed a $1,000 civil penalty for commercial activity with the intent to distribute.

During fiscal year 2014, CBP agriculture specialists nationwide issued 75,330 civil violations and intercepted more than 1.6 million animal by-product, meat and plant/soil quarantine products.

So the Border Patrol doesn't bother stopping illegal aliens, but they will stop tamales from coming in?

We need to make a tamale sanctuary city.

 

[Homerboy]

So the Border Patrol doesn't bother stopping illegal aliens, but they will stop tamales from coming in?

We need to make a tamale sanctuary city.

See, this is where you sound like and idiot and turn into an asshole.

I'm pretty sure it's not that they "don't bother stopping illegal aliens" I'd guess it's a little harder to effectively patrol the 2,000 mile long border versus somebody carrying tameles in their suitcase.

 

[Eli]

I'll bet they destroyed them alright. :sneaky:

 

[madoka]

See, this is where you sound like and idiot and turn into an asshole.

I'm pretty sure it's not that they "don't bother stopping illegal aliens" I'd guess it's a little harder to effectively patrol the 2,000 mile long border versus somebody carrying tameles in their suitcase.

It takes a special combination of jackass and idiot to not recognize a facetious exaggeration.

 

[OutHouse]

So the Border Patrol doesn't bother stopping illegal aliens, but they will stop tamales from coming in?

We need to make a tamale sanctuary city.

the BP does not stop illegals?

Also it was customs agents not the border patrol (yes i know they are the same agency) that seized the illegal meat.

damn you dumb.

 

[sandorski]

It takes a special combination of jackass and idiot to not recognize a facetious exaggeration.

Looks to me like he did.

 

[Rakehellion]

That's disgusting.

 

[madoka]

Also it was customs agents not the border patrol (yes i know they are the same agency) that seized the illegal meat.

damn you dumb.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection includes the former Border Patrol and Customs Service. Missions include detecting and preventing the illegal entry of persons and goods into the country.

If you want to nick pick the difference between a Customs and Border Protection Officer and a Border Patrol Agent, then you too might be an idiot who doesn't recognize a facetious statement.

 

[master_shake_]

if you outlaw tamales, only outlaws will have tamales.

That's disgusting.

also this.

 

[rsutoratosu]

my friend used to work at customs at JFK, they seized a lot of food and have parties end of the night.. yes most of the time they just want to eat it or drink it... lots of alcohol and food seized. he admit it and I almost wanted the same job for a while.

 

[Linflas]

Such a racket especially when it involves travel between Canada and the US. You can't buy smoked meat at Schwartz's and bring it into the US but there is a place between Customs and boarding in Trudeau Airport where you can buy it at a much higher price.

 

[feralkid]

If you want to nick pick the difference between a Customs and Border Protection Officer and a Border Patrol Agent, then you too might be an idiot who doesn't recognize a facetious statement.

It's "Nitpick" you idiot.

 

[sandorski]

my friend used to work at customs at JFK, they seized a lot of food and have parties end of the night.. yes most of the time they just want to eat it or drink it... lots of alcohol and food seized. he admit it and I almost wanted the same job for a while.

They don't make the rules and the food is going to waste anyway. The Food entering poses a risk, although Cooked Food seems like it shouldn't be on the list.

 

[Ruptga]

my friend used to work at customs at JFK, they seized a lot of food and have parties end of the night.. yes most of the time they just want to eat it or drink it... lots of alcohol and food seized. he admit it and I almost wanted the same job for a while.

I wonder how much more likely a customs agent is to have a tapeworm infection or to go blind from methanol poisoning. If those numbers don't exist then someone needs to collect them; if the percent of customs agents that consume contraband is significant and their total risk isn't significantly different from the baseline then our standards are probably too strict, but if they're always getting the shits then that's documented proof of health regulations doing what they're supposed to.

 

[feralkid]

They don't make the rules and the food is going to waste anyway. The Food entering poses a risk, although Cooked Food seems like it shouldn't be on the list.

Even canned pork is taboo.

Doesn't matter where it's from either.

For example, you could take a can of Spam on your vacation (and who hasn't?), but you can not bring same can back into the U.S.

 

[sandorski]

Even canned pork is taboo.

Doesn't matter where it's from either.

For example, you could take a can of Spam on your vacation (and who hasn't?), but you can not bring same can back into the U.S.

That's just strange, at least from the perspective of protecting Agriculture from Pests. There's probably other unstated reasons, perhaps simple Protectionism or even as part of the War on Drugs.

 

[BoomerD]

You can have my (legal, made from US ingredients) tamales when they pry them from my cold, dead fork.

 

[feralkid]

That's just strange, at least from the perspective of protecting Agriculture from Pests. There's probably other unstated reasons, perhaps simple Protectionism or even as part of the War on Drugs.

It's strange indeed.

Once we had a package of "Soy Chorizo" in one of our coolers upon crossing the border back into the U.S.

The alert customs officer noted that down the list of ingredients was "grasa de puerco" (pork fat). We both had a chuckle.

 

[rsutoratosu]

Theres always someone that works in customs thats not from US, someone always know if its safe to eat or throw away.

 

[PottedMeat]

to bring in 450 tamales in your luggage they must be fucking delicious

what's the chance that's american pork in those tamales?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/01/23/usa-mexico-pork-idUSL1N0V22AD20150123

Jan 23 Pork exports from the United States to Mexico, its biggest market, are likely to grow more slowly in 2015 after three years of record increases

 

[Rakehellion]

It's strange indeed.

Once we had a package of "Soy Chorizo" in one of our coolers upon crossing the border back into the U.S.

The alert customs officer noted that down the list of ingredients was "grasa de puerco" (pork fat). We both had a chuckle.

I am Chorizo.

 

[gus6464]

Man those tamales look delicious.

 

[MongGrel]

if you outlaw tamales, only outlaws will have tamales.





also this.

+1

 

[MongGrel]

Man those tamales look delicious.

You just fizzled on that one.

:sneaky:

 

[Imp]

Not surprised... You guys ban these things:
http://www.amazon.ca/Kinder-Surprise-Minions-Limited-Pack/dp/B015N5RQSK/