CBP officers and agricultural specialists prepare for Valentine’s Day

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s officers and agriculture specialists will be busy with travelers arriving at Arizona ports of entry.

Groceries, plants, medications, liquor, pets and personal purchases made in Mexico need to be declared when returning to the United States. CBP recommends individuals bringing flower arrangements from Mexico to be aware of prohibited flowers, and floral fillers that are not allowed into the United States from Mexico.

Some of the prohibited cut flowers seen in this area are chrysanthemums, mock orange, choysia, cedar, and juniper. If found it will be removed from the flower arrangement.

For other items such as fresh produce, meats, personal purchases, or gifts, the public will need to declare at the time of inspection to avoid receiving a civil penalty or seizure of the item.

Items such as plants and soil are prohibited. Penalties for failure to declare or smuggling can be issued if an individual is trying to import a prohibited product. Items from foreign countries are not allowed because they are known to harbor harmful pests and disease.

Tucson Field Office performing agriculture exams at Arizona ports recorded a total of 43,044 quarantine material interceptions and 6,074 pest interceptions during fiscal year 2017.

They have also issued 592 violations to passenger and crew members and have an estimate of more than 2,000 treatments performed.