Yesterday morning, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists stationed at Paso Del Norte international crossing in El Paso put a hard stop to a scheme that seems more suited to a Hollywood script than real life. A 52-year-old man from Albuquerque, New Mexico, was caught attempting to surreptitiously smuggle 22 rolls of prohibited pork bologna across the border. The situation escalated after the suspect, a U.S. citizen, had initially offered a clean declaration devoid of any fruits, vegetables, or meat products. However, the game was up when the agricultural detection canine "Harlee" flagged the rear cargo area of the vehicle during a secondary inspection. To further add to the illicit haul, specialists discovered hidden stashes containing 60 undeclared Tramadol tablets.

Suffice to say, the night's findings led to the swift seizure of the contraband items, with "Harlee" proving to once again be more than a helpful nose. Agriculture Specialists needed to justly issue a $1,000 promissory note for the tramadol, found to be a schedule IV-controlled substance. According to Customs of Border Proection's press release, this wasn't the driver's foray into the dubious world of bologna transport—merely two months ago, the same individual had been caught with 55 rolls of undeclared bologna.

The seized bologna, totaling 242 pounds, wasn't destined for any deli or sandwich shop but was instead immediately destroyed per regulations to prevent the potential introduction of foreign animal diseases. The stakes are high with such smuggling attempts; not just law enforcement-wise, but in the broader context of biosecurity. CBP El Paso Director Field Operations Hector A. Mancha emphasized the potential hazards: "Pork products have the potential to introduce foreign animal diseases to the U.S. which can have a devastating impact to the U.S. economy and to our agriculture industry," according to Customs of Border Protection .

Homeland security measures against bio-threats don't solely rest upon the agents and their canines, though—the responsibility is also shared by travelers. Mancha recommended, "It is always best for travelers to declare any items acquired abroad to help CBP stop the introduction of potentially harmful products," according to Customs of Border Protection .