US seizes prohibited fruit on the Texas-Reynosa border in Mexico

On October 20, officers from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations, along with agricultural specialists, made a significant seizure at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge cargo facility in Tamaulipas. During a routine inspection, they discovered a tractor-trailer from Mexico carrying more than six tons of fresh plums and fresh passion fruit, products that are strictly prohibited from entering the United States due to the risk they pose to local agriculture. The shipment, which had been declared as fresh lime and chayote, was subjected to a thorough inspection using non-intrusive inspection equipment and a canine team. During the inspection, closed boxes were found with fruit wrapped in paper that did not match what was declared. The samples were sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which confirmed the following day that they were plums and passion fruit. The ban on these fruits is due to the fact that they can harbor pests such as ...