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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialists at the Louisville Port of Entry recently intercepted several shipments containing nearly 1,500 pounds of meat products not declared in boxes hoping to avoid detection.

From Aug. 20 to 28, Agriculture Specialists stopped 13 shipments from the same corporation in Hong Kong, all of which were heading to the same company in Bellerose, New York. Each shipment contained pork items, some contained pork and poultry items, and one contained pork and other prohibited food. In total 1,104 pounds of pork, 298 pounds of poultry, and 88 pounds of prohibited foods were seized. The New York company was notified about their prohibited shipments being intercepted and the food was destroyed.

According to the CBP, the importation of pork products from Hong Kong are prohibited due to outbreaks of African Swine Fever, Classical Swine Fever, and Swine Vesicular Disease in the region. Because of the presence of these 3 swine diseases, all pork products from Hong Kong are not permitted without the applicable U.S. Department of Agriculture Veterinary Services permits. Additionally, the avian products from Hong Kong are also prohibited because of Virulent Newcastle Disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.

“Louisville’s CBP Agriculture Specialists are focused on their mission to prevent entry of prohibited items from entering the United States,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office. “These seizures clearly show how critical their role is in preventing diseases from entering the United States.”

CBP’s border security mission is led at U. S. Ports of Entry by CBP officers and Agriculture Specialists from the Office of Field Operations. The agency says they screen international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products, that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and the nation’s safety and economic vitality.

The CBP is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.