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US Customs and Border Protection

Sweet Smuggle: Dulles CBP Officers Uncover Cocaine Hidden In Hot Chocolate Packages Sweet Smuggle: Dulles CBP Officers Uncover Cocaine Hidden In Hot Chocolate Packages
Sweet Smuggle: Dulles CBP Officers Uncover Cocaine Hidden In Hot Chocolate Packages US Customs and Border Protection agents seized a shipment at Dulles Airport destined for Northern Virginia filled with multiple packages of hot chocolate that were filled with a white substance that was not tiny marshmallows. More than 28 pounds of cocaine that was concealed inside of 10 packages of hot chocolate beverage base will never make it to the streets after agents found it while examining a food shipment brought into the country by a Guatemalan courier. According to officials, federal authorities initially detained the courier; however, authorities released the courier on Tues…
FBI Thwarts Iran-Linked Plan To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says FBI Thwarts Iran-Linked Plan To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says
FBI Thwarts Iran-Linked Plan To Assassinate Donald Trump, DOJ Says An Iranian operative and two associates living in America have been charged in a murder-for-hire plot targeting United States citizens, including President-elect Donald Trump. Federal authorities have charged Farhad Shakeri, an alleged operative of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), along with two New York City associates in a plot to assassinate a US citizen critical of the Iranian government.  The case highlights the continued threat posed by Iran’s attempts to silence dissidents and even target top US. officials. According to the Department of Justice criminal complai…
Heroin Curiously Stashed By Guatemalan Courier Intercepted At Dulles International Airport: CBP Heroin Curiously Stashed By Guatemalan Courier Intercepted At Dulles International Airport: CBP
Heroin Curiously Stashed By Guatemalan Courier Intercepted At Dulles International Airport: CBP US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Washington Dulles International Airport kept more than $50,000 worth of heroin from being brought into Virginia, officials say. Maria Jose Recinos Rodriguez, 31, a Guatemalan national, wanted an extra kick with her coffee after being busted attempting to conceal heroin in coffee grounds she traveled into the country with. According to a CBP spokesperson, on Sunday, officers discovered nearly two pounds of heroin concealed in a courier shipment at the airport. Investigators say that Recinos Rodriguez arrived on Oct. 27 from Guatemala C…
Snakes On A Plane: International Traveler Busted Importing Pounds Of Meat At Dulles Airport Snakes On A Plane: International Traveler Busted Importing Pounds Of Meat At Dulles Airport
Snakes On A Plane: International Traveler Busted Importing Pounds Of Meat At Dulles Airport A beagle assigned to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) specialists at Washington Dulles International Airport made a curious discovery when a passenger tried to bring snake meat into the country, officials say. A traveler coming into Virginia from Equatorial Guinea drew the attention of Freddie, a 4-year-old beagle, leading to CBP agriculture specialists to discover two pounds of snake meat, which is a delight in his home country, but prohibited from being brought into the country. Freddie, of CBP's Beagle Brigade, sniffed agriculture products in the traveler's baggage. US…
Second Teen Charged As Adult For Murders At Maryland Park Months Later: Police Second Teen Charged As Adult For Murders At Maryland Park Months Later: Police
Second Teen Charged As Adult For Murders At Maryland Park Months Later: Police A second teenager will be charged as an adult following an ongoing investigation after two men were found murdered at a Silver Spring park over the summer, the Montgomery County Department of Police announced. Quincy Johnson, of Takoma Park, and Lanham resident D'Andre Wint, both 20, were found shot to death at the Nolte Local Park in the 200 block of Denver Road late in the afternoon on Sunday, May 26. Our officers along with @mcpnews are on scene of a shooting a Nolte Local Park in Silver Spring.Officers located two shooting victims. More information will be released as it be…
Man Wanted For Child Sex Abuse In Maryland Busted Boarding Flight At Dulles Airport In VA: CBP Man Wanted For Child Sex Abuse In Maryland Busted Boarding Flight At Dulles Airport In VA: CBP
Man Wanted For Child Sex Abuse In Maryland Busted Boarding Flight At Dulles Airport In VA: CBP A Maryland man was close to making his great escape, but the suspect wanted in connection to child sexual abuse claim was stopped before he could board an international flight at Dulles Airpot this week, officials say. Milton Ovidio Martinez Hernandez was arrested this week by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers as the Honduran native - wanted in Maryland for felony child sex abuse charges - attempted to get on a flight to Panama. According to investigators, Martinez Hernandez, who was wanted in Montgomery County for multiple counts of sexual abuse of a minor and child fond…
Flying High: Bag Filled With 34 Pounds Of Ketamine From Amsterdam Seized At Dulles Airport Flying High: Bag Filled With 34 Pounds Of Ketamine From Amsterdam Seized At Dulles Airport
Flying High: Bag Filled With 34 Pounds Of Ketamine From Amsterdam Seized At Dulles Airport Nearly $1 million worth of ketamine never made it to the streets in the DMV after a package coming from Amsterdam into Dulles International Airport was intercepted, according to US Customs and Border Protection officials. Last month, nearly 34 pounds of ketamine hydrochloride arrived in an airline’s rushed baggage, but, officers at the airport made sure it did not go any further than that. CBP agriculture specialists initially detected anomalies when they x-rayed the suitcase on Aug. 8 when it arrived from the notoriously liberal nation, and officers were alerted. The anomalies c…
Maryland Teen Charged As Adult For Murders After Being Stopped At Dulles Airport In VA: PD Maryland Teen Charged As Adult For Murders After Being Stopped At Dulles Airport In VA: PD
Maryland Teen Charged As Adult For Murders After Being Stopped At Dulles Airport In VA: PD Three months to the day that two men were found murdered at a Silver Spring park, the Montgomery County Department of Police announced that a teen shooting suspect has been identified. Quincy Johnson, of Takoma Park, and Lanham resident D'Andre Wint, both 20, were found shot to death at the Nolte Local Park in the 200 block of Denver Road late in the afternoon on Sunday, May 26. Our officers along with @mcpnews are on scene of a shooting a Nolte Local Park in Silver Spring.Officers located two shooting victims. More information will be released as it becomes available. — Park Police MC (…
53 Pounds Of Pot, Maryland Woman At Dulles Airport Didn't Make It To Paris Flight: Officials 53 Pounds Of Pot, Maryland Woman At Dulles Airport Didn't Make It To Paris Flight: Officials
53 Pounds Of Pot, Maryland Woman At Dulles Airport Didn't Make It To Paris Flight: Officials Another major drug bust has been made at Washington Dulles International Airport after US Customs and Border Protection officers seized more than 53 pounds of pot from a Charles County woman's checked baggage.  Sydney Lewis, 33, of Bryans City, is the latest traveler to be busted attempting to traffic drugs through the area after she was caught trying to pull a fast one on officers at the airport earlier this week, officials said. According to investigators, while inspecting bags heading onto a Paris-bound flight, officers found the vacuum-sealed bags loaded with marijuana in a pair of…
46 Pounds Of 'Special K' Worth $1.3M Intercepted At Dulles Airport 46 Pounds Of 'Special K' Worth $1.3M Intercepted At Dulles Airport
46 Pounds Of 'Special K' Worth $1.3M Intercepted At Dulles Airport Nearly 50 pounds of animal tranquilizer was found in an air cargo shipment from Cameroon at Washington Dulles Airport earlier this month. The 46 pounds of ketamine was found in five of the seven bags of Garri and Water FuFu, of Cameroon, on Oct. 10, US Customs and Border Protection said. The ketamine weighed 20.87 kilograms, or 45 pounds and 15 ounces, and had a street value of about $1.3 million. The shipment was destined to an address in Washington, D.C. Inside the shipment, agriculture specialists found five packages labeled as Water Fufu, a solid porridge made from puree of cassava or …
Maryland Rape Suspects Busted Attempting To Flee Country At Dulles Airport Maryland Rape Suspects Busted Attempting To Flee Country At Dulles Airport
Maryland Rape Suspects Busted Attempting To Flee Country At Dulles Airport Two rape suspects wanted in Maryland are in custody after being caught attempting to flee the country at Washington Dulles International Airport. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers were busy this week, arresting two men hours apart as they both sought separate flights to El Salvador to evade their arrest. First, officers arrested Oscar Armando Hernandez Mata, a 53-year-old Salvadoran in the country illegally who was wanted in Montgomery County for rape and sexually abusing a minor on Thursday afternoon at the departure gate. Officials noted that Hernandez Mata is "an alien unl…
Dead Snakes, Seahorses Seized From Travelers At Washington Dulles Airport Dead Snakes, Seahorses Seized From Travelers At Washington Dulles Airport
Dead Snakes, Seahorses Seized From Travelers At Washington Dulles Airport Snakes, snake oil, sea horses, prohibited pork, and snail ointment were seized from travelers at Washington Dulles International Airport this month, officials said. The first traveler, who arrived on Aug. 1 from Vietnam, was destined to Fairfax, and referred to a secondary baggage examination, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced. CBP agriculture specialists and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) inspectors discovered prohibited pork, but also found 77 dry seahorses, five jars of snail ointment, and five dead snakes. The import of the seahorses, snakes, and snail oint…
Live Birds Seized From Passenger Coming From Dubai Into Dulles In VA Live Birds Seized From Passenger Coming From Dubai Into Dulles In VA
Live Birds Seized From Passenger Coming From Dubai Into Dulles In VA US Customs and Border Protection seized two live birds from a woman arriving on a flight from Dubai to Dulles International Airport earlier this month, officials said. The UAE passenger had been keeping the birds inside an open cardboard box inside a plastic bag on July 16, UCBP said. The woman failed to notify airline gate attendants that she was carrying the birds onto the flight. CBP agriculture specialists met the flight as it arrived, secured the birds in a filtered crate, and took the birds to CBP’s agriculture quarantine inspections lab. Agriculture specialists also referred the wom…
Sexual Abuser Wanted In MD Busted By Border Patrol At Dulles International Airport: Officials Sexual Abuser Wanted In MD Busted By Border Patrol At Dulles International Airport: Officials
Sexual Abuser Wanted In MD Busted By Border Patrol At Dulles International Airport: Officials An El Salvador native who was wanted in Maryland for sexual assault charges was busted by US Customs and Border Protection agents minutes after landing at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, authorities announced. Calixto Lazo Cabrera, 57, was arrested shortly after midnight on Friday, March 31 as he arrived on a flight from El Salvador. Lazo Cabrera is wanted in Montgomery County on multiple felony sex assault charges, including sex abuse of a minor, sex abuse second degree, and third-degree sex abuse offenses, according to officials. Prior to landing, officers were tippl…
Customs Officers Bust Two Men Wanted For Sex Offenses At Dulles International Airport Customs Officers Bust Two Men Wanted For Sex Offenses At Dulles International Airport
Customs Officers Bust Two Men Wanted For Sex Offenses At Dulles International Airport Two men wanted for felony sex offenses in the DMV region were apprehended by US Customs and Border Protection officers as they attempted to board an international flight at Washington Dulles International Airport. Officials announced that officers arrested Kadian Andre Mitchell, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, and Gaithersburg, Maryland resident Alexander Mercado Amaya, 31, in two separate stops at the airport over the weekend. Mitchell is wanted in Prince George’s County on rape charges and was apprehended as he was heading on a flight to Panama. Amaya was wanted in his hometown Montgomery Co…
NJ Celebrity Hairstylist Charged With Trafficking Child Porn, Worked On 'Mrs. Maisel,' More NJ Celebrity Hairstylist Charged With Trafficking Child Porn, Worked On 'Mrs. Maisel,' More
NJ Celebrity Hairstylist Charged With Trafficking Child Porn, Worked On 'Mrs. Maisel,' More A Bergen County hairstylist to the stars is charged with trafficking more than 450 child sex abuse images, authorities said. Daniel Koye, 40, of Rutherford, was seized by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on Jan. 28 in Atlanta after detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office obtained a warrant for his arrest, they said. He's been held since then in the Clayton County Jail in Jonesboro, GA pending extradition to New Jersey, records show. Authorities began looking for Koye following a warranted search at his Ettrick Terrace apartme…
Bones Of Giraffe, Zebra Seized From Traveler's Bag At Dulles Airport After Africa Trip Bones Of Giraffe, Zebra Seized From Traveler's Bag At Dulles Airport After Africa Trip
Bones Of Giraffe, Zebra Seized From Traveler's Bag At Dulles Airport After Africa Trip US Customs and Border Protection agents at Washington Dulles International Airport had a bone to pick with some souvenirs a Virginia woman attempted to bring home from a trip to Africa. During a secondary baggage exam from a recent flight from Kenya back to the DMV region, agriculture specialists discovered bones that a Fauquier County woman admitted were giraffe and zebra bones she found during her trip and kept as keepsakes. The bones were recovered by the specialists and checked by US Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors, according to officials. They were ultimately found to be in vio…
BENE(PHISH)IARY: Scam FBI Email Says You’re Owed $4.1M — And Are Suspected Of Tax Evasion BENE(PHISH)IARY: Scam FBI Email Says You’re Owed $4.1M — And Are Suspected Of Tax Evasion
Bene(Phish)Iary: Scam FBI Email Says You’re Owed $4.1M — And Are Suspected Of Tax Evasion This one’s rich (no pun intended): A familiar phishing scam that claims federal authorities have seized $4.1 million intended for you from a shady foreign diplomat is again making the rounds. A surety bond for the princely sum was found in two consignment boxes seized at JFK Airport in Queens, NY, along with documents bearing YOUR name, according to the hoax email. The author, who claims to be FBI Deputy Director Paul M. Abbate in Washington, D.C., then offers to “walk you through the process of clearing and claiming the money.” That’s the good news. “After questioning the diplomat t…
Man Wanted For Continually Sexually Abusing a Child Picked Up By Border Patrol At Dulles In DC Man Wanted For Continually Sexually Abusing a Child Picked Up By Border Patrol At Dulles In DC
Man Wanted For Continually Sexually Abusing a Child Picked Up By Border Patrol At Dulles In DC A wanted Texas man got an unwelcome home present when he was apprehended by US Customers and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Washington Dulles International Airport in DC after landing on a flight from Austria, authorities announced. San Antonio resident Florentin Stefan Dita, 36, who is wanted on felony sex crimes in his native Texas, was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 31, according to a spokesperson for CBP following his arrival from his flight. Dita is wanted by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in San Antonio for felony continuous sex abuse of a child, officials said. Officers verifi…
Two Salvadoran Men Wanted In Maryland For Sex Crimes Apprehended At Dulles Airport In DC Two Salvadoran Men Wanted In Maryland For Sex Crimes Apprehended At Dulles Airport In DC
Two Salvadoran Men Wanted In Maryland For Sex Crimes Apprehended At Dulles Airport In DC Two Salvadorian nationals living in Maryland - one of whom was reportedly fleeing prosecution - wanted for sex crimes were busted by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to authorities. The agency announced on Wednesday, Aug. 31 that this month, officers apprehended Jose Efrain Mejia Alas, 34, who had been living in Germantown, and Juan Anitportan Lara Ramos, 50, an Essex resident, who are both wanted in Maryland for sexual abuse claims. Alas was arrested on Sunday, Aug. 21 as he attempted to board a flight to El Salvador, whi…
Couple Faces Renovation Of Traveler's Status Over $100K In Goods Brought Into Dulles Airport Couple Faces Renovation Of Traveler's Status Over $100K In Goods Brought Into Dulles Airport
Couple Faces Renovation Of Traveler's Status Over $100K In Goods Brought Into Dulles Airport A Maryland couple will no longer be Global Entry trusted travelers members after they violated duty laws at Dulles International Airport, officials said. On August 14, the couple repeatedly failed to declare nearly $100,000 in designer brand items that they purchased overseas, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Upon arriving at Dulles from Paris, the couple told a CBP officer that they declared only what they had, which they claimed was between $300 and $900 in merchandise, authorities said. Once law enforcement sensed the couple was not being honest, they checked their bags …
Dulles Airport Officers Seize Over $95K In Unreported Currency From Travelers Dulles Airport Officers Seize Over $95K In Unreported Currency From Travelers
Dulles Airport Officers Seize Over $95K In Unreported Currency From Travelers Custom and Border Protection officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized over $95,000 from recent travelers, officials said. Airport officials stopped a couple headed to Lebanon who surrendered over $29,000 in unauthorized currency on July 21, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They then recovered $32,000 of unauthorized currency from a family going to Nepal on July 26, authorities reported. On July 31, a South Korean family surrendered over $34,000 to officers upon arrival from South Korea, officials said. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that more cur…
NJ Man Had Gun Parts 'Artfully' Hidden In Ankle, Wrist Weights At Airport, TSA Says NJ Man Had Gun Parts 'Artfully' Hidden In Ankle, Wrist Weights At Airport, TSA Says
NJ Man Had Gun Parts 'Artfully' Hidden In Ankle, Wrist Weights At Airport, TSA Says A Bergen County man bound for Turkey was caught at Newark Airport with various gun parts "artfully" concealed inside ankle and wrist weights, authorities said. The Elmwood Park traveler claimed a friend had given him the suitcase that he checked with the airline before attempting to board a flight to Istanbul late Wednesday night, said Lisa Farbstein of the Transportation Security Administration. An alarm sounded as the checked bag went through the screening process, Farbstein said. A search turned up the gun parts inside the weights, which she said were packed in a box. Passengers can tr…
MURDER: Husband Of Missing Virginia Woman Captured Catching Flight To Jamaica, Police Say MURDER: Husband Of Missing Virginia Woman Captured Catching Flight To Jamaica, Police Say
Murder: Husband Of Missing Virginia Woman Captured Catching Flight To Jamaica, Police Say Just hours after Shanitia Eure-Lewis went missing from her Virginia church, her husband was found with her passport and credit card in his bag while trying to flee to Jamaica. Adrian Lewis, 49, of Newport News, was captured at the Washington Dulles International Airport at the departure gate for a flight to Jamaica at around 10:45 a.m., Monday, July 18, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Customs and Border Protection officers questioned Lewis about his wife’s disappearance and held him in a detention cell, officials said.  Shanitia Eure-Lewis’ passport and credit car…
Dulles Airport Customs Agents Seize Nearly $30K From Family Leaving The Country Dulles Airport Customs Agents Seize Nearly $30K From Family Leaving The Country
Dulles Airport Customs Agents Seize Nearly $30K From Family Leaving The Country A family bound for an Ethiopian vacation lost a day of their trip and more than $27,000 after they failed to disclose that they were carrying enough cash to buy a new Hyundai Santa Fe in their luggage.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents said the family didn't disclose the cash as they went through a pre-flight screening. The father — a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Ethiopia — told agents he was carrying $8,000 on him, the agency said in a news release. The man's eldest son also admitted to having $8,000 in cash.  But customs agents found an additional unreported $1…
GOTCHA! Yoga Teacher Accused Of Love Triangle Murder Fled To Costa Rica From NJ: Feds GOTCHA! Yoga Teacher Accused Of Love Triangle Murder Fled To Costa Rica From NJ: Feds
Gotcha! Yoga Teacher Accused Of Love Triangle Murder Fled To Costa Rica From NJ: Feds A fugitive accused of killing a world-class cyclist used someone else’s passport to flee to Costa Rica from Newark Airport, then changed her appearance in a failed attempt to elude capture, federal authorities said. Kaitlin Armstrong, a 34-year-old yoga teacher, was wanted on murder charges following the May 11 shooting death of Anna Moriah "Mo" Wilson in Austin Texas. Wilson had briefly dated Armstrong’s boyfriend, who was also a pro cyclist, authorities said. Federal agents tracked Armstrong to the Santa Teresa Beach hotel in Costa Rica’s Provincia de Puntarenas, where she was taken into…
NJ Man Tried Sneaking 30 Pounds Of Cocaine Through MD Airport In Electric Wheelchair: Feds NJ Man Tried Sneaking 30 Pounds Of Cocaine Through MD Airport In Electric Wheelchair: Feds
NJ Man Tried Sneaking 30 Pounds Of Cocaine Through MD Airport In Electric Wheelchair: Feds A high-rolling New Jersey man was dealt a bad hand after being busted by federal officials in a Maryland airport attempting to traffic more than 30 pounds of cocaine into the country. Union City, NJ resident Gabriel Ruiz, 34, was arrested by members of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department when investigators called his bluff and seized cocaine that was concealed inside his electric wheelchair at the Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshal Airport. Ruiz was busted on Monday, June 20, and charged with state felony narcotics importation and possession charges on…
South Jersey To NY Journey Ends With 250 Pounds Of Coke Seized, Pair In Federal Custody South Jersey To NY Journey Ends With 250 Pounds Of Coke Seized, Pair In Federal Custody
South Jersey To NY Journey Ends With 250 Pounds Of Coke Seized, Pair In Federal Custody Federal agents followed a tractor-trailer loaded with nearly 250 pounds of cocaine for more than 75 miles from South Jersey to New York before busting the driver and a co-conspirator in Yonkers, authorities said. They were right behind when Eddie Velez-Pena, 33, of Yonkers, stopped the tractor-trailer in the Hunterdon County town of Hampton, NJ, U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said. They then followed him and the rig north to the border of Yonkers and the Bronx, the U.S. attorney said. There Velez-Pena transferred multiple duffle bags to Robin Medina-Fabian, 38, of the Bro…
Maryland Woman Caught Sneaking $500,000 Worth Of Knock-Off Clothes At Virginia Airport Maryland Woman Caught Sneaking $500,000 Worth Of Knock-Off Clothes At Virginia Airport
Maryland Woman Caught Sneaking $500,000 Worth Of Knock-Off Clothes At Virginia Airport A Maryland woman brought home more than just a few souvenirs from her recent trip to Asia, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reports. Instead, she packed her 12 bags full of 298 pieces of counterfeit clothing items including scarves, hats, shoes and jewelry. The items bore brand names like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Burberry, Prada and Gianni Versace and collectively were appraised at more than $500,000 if authentic, CBP said.  Agents took the items after the woman landed at Washington Dulles International Airport on April 10, CBP said. The Laurel native said, both verba…
More Than $2 Million Worth Of Fake Designer Clothes Seized At Port Of Virginia More Than $2 Million Worth Of Fake Designer Clothes Seized At Port Of Virginia
More Than $2 Million Worth Of Fake Designer Clothes Seized At Port Of Virginia Customs agents seized more than a 1,100 counterfeit designer dresses and shawls worth an estimated $2.3 million, authorities said.  Officers at the Port of Virginia uncovered the massive haul of fake goods in April during a search of a shipment bound for Cincinnati, Ohio, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said.  The haul included fake Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Apple items, CBP reports. Officers said they were alerted to the fakes because of their poor quality. "CBP is charged with enforcing trade laws, and we continue to devote substantial resources to target, intercept, det…