EL PASO, TEXAS – US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialists seized 230 lbs of illegal pork bologna during two separate unrelated incidents.

The first seizure was made Feb. 25, at the Bridge of the Americas border crossing from a married couple from El Paso, Texas, traveling in separate vehicles. A 23-year-old, male, US citizen presented himself for inspection and gave a negative agriculture declaration to the primary CBP Officer. However, the vehicle was referred for a second inspection where rolls of prohibited pork bologna were discovered hidden in the vehicle.

“The driver admitted that his friend paid him to import the bologna,” CBP said. “Shortly thereafter, the driver’s wife was referred for a secondary inspection where more bologna was discovered.”

A total of 110 lbs of bologna were seized from the couple, according to the agency.

The second incident occurred at the Santa Teresa border crossing Feb. 28. A 59-year-old man, US citizen and resident of Santa Fe, NM, presented himself for inspection. After giving a negative agriculture declaration to the primary CBP Officer, the man’s vehicle was referred for a secondary inspection.

“During a secondary non-intrusive inspection, CBP Officers identified anomalies in the vehicle’s cargo area,” the agency said. “A further search resulted in the discovery of 13 rolls of prohibited pork bologna with a total weight of 120 lbs.”

The individuals in both incidents were issued civil penalties for failure to declare commercial quantities of bologna. CBP destroyed the bologna per US Department of Agriculture regulations.

“People will sometimes make light of these seizures but there is nothing funny about these failed smuggling attempts,” said Hector Mancha, CBP El Paso Director of Field Operations. “The importation of unregulated pork products has the potential to introduce foreign animal diseases which can be detrimental to our nation’s agriculture industry.”