Customs and Border Protectionʼs Buffalo Field Office Announces Fiscal Year 2009 First Quarter Accomplishments

CHAMPLAIN, NEW YORK- Enforcement results from Customs and Border Protectionʼs (CBP) Buffalo Field Office reflect significant results in our efforts to protect our Nationʼs Borders during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2009 (FY09).

James T. Engleman, Director of Field Operations for the Buffalo Field Office said that, during this time frame, CBP Officers processed approximately 4.9 million passengers, 1.9 million autos, 345,000 commercial trucks and 10,800 commercial buses. The Buffalo Field Office encompasses all seventeen international land border crossings in the State of New York , from Buffalo to Champlain and Rouses Point.

CBP Officers arrested 47 fugitives wanted for crimes including aggravated attempted murder, racketeering, conspiracy and organized fraud. Our apprehensions included the arrest of an individual wanted by INTERPOL in Pakistan and one arrested on child pornography charges.

CBPʼs Buffalo Field Office reported the following accomplishments for the first quarter of FY09, which started on October 1, 2008 and ended December 31, 2008:

• CBP officers prevented approximately 1,100 criminal aliens from entering the United States . Foreign nationals are considered criminal aliens if they have been convicted of committing crimes involving moral turpitude.
• Nine fraudulent documents were seized.
• 22 travelers were intercepted while making a false claim to United States citizenship.
• CBP officers prevented the entry of five foreign nationals who were identified as potential threats to national security.
• CBP officers arrested 27 people who attempted to smuggle contraband into the United States .
• CBP officers seized over 350 pounds of hydroponic marijuana and 22 pounds of ecstasy were seized. The combined narcotics seized have an estimated street value of 1.7 million dollars.
• CBP Officers also seized over $700,000 of undeclared currency entering the U.S. , nearly surpassing the $730,000 seized throughout all of fiscal year 2008. Officers also seized $113,000 in undeclared currency exiting the U.S.
• CBP Agriculture Specialists made over 455 pest interceptions and issued 25 penalties for smuggling attempts.
• In one case in November 2008, CBP Officers seized eleven endangered Asian arowana fish that were found concealed in a speaker box located in the trunk of the vehicle. The Asian arowana fish are covered under the Endangered Species Act in the United States and cannot be possessed without a permit.

Locally, Acting Champlain Port Director Steven Bronson said that the Service Port of Champlain, which includes the ten border crossings from Ft. Covington to Rouses Point, processed 244,000 vehicles, 84,000 commercial vehicles and 700,000 passengers. Officers also seized over 23 pounds of ecstasy with a street value of nearly $625,000, approximately $133,780 in undeclared currency, and arrested seven wanted fugitives.

The final stages of the new Champlain Port of Entry construction project is nearing completion, with the majority of the
work being completed in FY 08. This includes the reconstruction of the passenger processing facility, where both passenger vehicles and buses are processed. Completion of the construction project is slated for March 2009.