CBP seizes 34K pounds of sweetened condensed milk at Pharr bridge

2 weeks ago 51

Someone didn’t have a happy Thanksgiving.

Federal authorities seized 34,286 pounds of sweetened condensed milk on Nov. 26 after discovering it hadn’t been certified by the Mexican government, and after holding the shipment for about a month.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said in a news release that officers encountered a tractor trailer entering the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge from Mexico on Oct. 28. That shipment’s manifest described its contents as “canned cream or milk substitute.”

Agriculture specialists reviewed the shipment’s documentation but could not determine the authenticity of its certificate. The shipment was then held until it could be verified.

CBP explained that in order for shipments containing animal products and byproducts to enter the U.S., the Mexican government must issue a zoosanitary certification certifying that the product is free from foot and mouth disease and didn’t travel in a country with risk of that disease.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture learned from the Mexican government that they hadn’t issued the shipment a certificate, making it fraudulent, CBP said.

The tractor trailer and shipment were then seized on Tuesday, Nov. 26, along with 18 pallets carrying 48 boxes of 864 containers of sweetened condensed milk, which officials said would be destroyed.

The USDA Investigative and Enforcement Services is now conducting an investigation.

“CBP is committed to the health and safety of the American agriculture resources, which is why our agriculture specialists scrutinize all documents for consumable goods entering the United States,” said Carlos Rodriguez, port director at Hidalgo, Pharr and Anzalduas.

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