German traveler caught smuggling pork

A German traveler was fined $300 for attempting to smuggle pork products into the United States through Dulles International Airport, authorities said.

The passenger arrived from Frankfurt, Germany, on Monday and was referred to a secondary agriculture inspection. He repeatedly denied possessing any agriculture products. But agriculture specialists from Customs and Border Protection discovered he was carrying more than 15 pounds of pre-packaged pork products, similar to what one might purchase in the deli aisle of a grocery store.

The meats were destroyed, and the passenger was fined for failure to declare the meat products and for violating 9CFR94, which regulates the importation of meat into the United States.

“Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists take their job of protecting American livestock very seriously," said Christopher Hess, CBP Port Director for the Port of Washington, D.C.