When the officers encountered the driver, the driver gave a negative declaration of prohibited goods.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced March 17 that Office of Field Operations officers intercepted 39 live pythons that were hidden within a tractor at the World Trade Bridge March 5. The officers encountered a 2021 Peterbuilt tractor that was traveling into Mexico. The officers selected the driver and the tractor for inspection. When the officers encountered the driver, the driver gave a negative declaration of prohibited goods, according to a press release put out by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The search of the tractor, however revealed 39 live pythons. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was contacted and its agents took custody of the reptiles. because the condition of the pythons they were transported to a controlled environment. The tractor and trailer were seized and the case remains under investigation.
The bags had 39 live pythons. They were headed for Mexico.
According to USCBP, penalties totaling $34,824 were issued for export violations. “Exporting live reptiles from the United States to Mexico requires compliance with several U.S. and international regulations. For authoritative information on the processes and requirements for exporting live reptiles, please refer to the following sources to avoid fines and penalties,” USCBP wrote in its press release.
Those sources include:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Import/Export Requirements
U.S. Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service APHIS Animal Health Export Requirements
U.S. Census Bureau – Foreign Trade Regulations Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR)
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species CITES U.S. Information
