Courtesy Richard Pauza,   LAREDO,TX – In anticipation of the annual spike in cross-border traffic over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday season, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials in Laredo are taking steps to adjust staffing, including supplementing with Border Patrol agent staffing, and employing additional facilitation measures to address the increased flows.  CBP will place

Courtesy Richard Pauza, Seize Counterfeit Watches Valued at $83 Million  Laredo, Texas – The Import Specialist Enforcement Team (ISET) at U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Laredo Port of Entry recently seized a commercial shipment of counterfeit watches infringing on the Audemars Piguet recorded trademark carrying a retail value of $83 million. This is the

Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection,  WASHINGTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Deputy Commissioner David V. Aguilar announced today the expansion of the Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEE), which will create six new centers in 2013 for the Agriculture & Prepared Products; Apparel, Footwear & Textiles; Base Metals; Consumer Products & Mass

Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection,  LAREDO, TEXAS – Faced with a steady onslaught of Black Friday and Thanksgiving weekend traffic, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers maintained their vigilance and uncovered more than 27 alleged violations of immigration law over a 72-hour period.  One of the more notable cases occurred on Saturday, Nov.

 Courtesy Richard Pauza,  LAREDO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers this week seized nearly 100 pounds of undeclared cheese hidden in a vehicle driven by a local woman.    The seizure occurred on Saturday, Oct. 6 at Gateway to the Americas Bridge . A CBP officer referred a Ford Windstar driven by

By Deputy Commissioner David V. Aguilar “Last night, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection family suffered the loss of Border Patrol Agent Nicholas J. Ivie at the hands of criminals operating on the border near Naco , Arizona . Another agent was also wounded and was treated at a local hospital. Agent Ivie died in

LAREDO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Laredo Port of Entry on Thursday kept vigilant watch in the World Trade Bridge cargo lot and seized two loads of cocaine valued at nearly $1 million, one from a Free and Secure Trade (FAST) driver, in two separate enforcement actions.     The

 Courtesy Nina Pruneda, LAREDO , Texas — The Webb County Sheriff’s Office was presented with a check for more than $800,000 Thursday from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).   Jan ice Ayala, HSI Assistant Director of Domestic Operations from Washington , D.C. , and Jerry Robinette , special agent in charge

Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection, SAN ANTONIO — A total of 28 individuals were arrested on Tuesday of which 12 were federally charged with alien transportation and harboring announced U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman, Western District of Texas and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magdison, Southern District of Texas. This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration

Courtesy Richard Pauza, LAREDO, TEXAS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Laredo Port of Entry started this weekend with a significant seizure of more than $800,000 in alleged heroin from a Honduran citizen residing in Georgia .   The seizure occurred on Sept. 14 at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge