Article II Female Discovered in Trunk of Car at u.S./Canada Border

Blaine, Wash. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers made a surprising discovery at the Peace Arch port of entry on October 19, a female hiding in the trunk of an automobile.

CBP officers of the Blaine Anti-Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team were conducting enforcement operations when they selected a 2004 Honda Civic from Virginia for examination. Upon opening the trunk they were astonished to discover the concealed 20-year-old female. All occupants were immediately removed from the vehicle and placed in handcuffs.

Even more remarkable was that the driver and the smuggled female were U.S. citizens. When questioned by officers, they both stated that they took this unusual action because they were under the erroneous notion that because she lacked a passport, the passenger would not be permitted back into the United States.

When informed of this discovery by her officers, Port Director Margaret Fearon warned, “All travelers are reminded that any smuggling of persons or contraband is a serious offense and subject to criminal and civil penalties.” In this case, the violation for driver’s failure to present all persons for inspection resulted in a mitigated monetary penalty of $500.

Article III cbp Officers Intercept Marijuana Smuggling Attempt in New York

Champlain, N.Y. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection today announced the seizure of approximately 12 pounds of marijuana from a 31-year-old Brooklyn man. The seizure resulted in the arrest of Garry Dorcelus, a U.S. citizen from Brooklyn, N.Y.

On November 8, CBP officers encountered Dorcelus, as he applied for admission into the United States on a commercial bus at the Champlain port of entry in Champlain, N.Y. During the passenger inspection, the subject told CBP officers that he was returning from a short trip to Montreal. A CBP narcotics detector dog alerted on the subject’s baggage during the bus compartment inspection. A subsequent baggage search by CBP officers led to the discovery of 11 vacuum sealed bags containing the marijuana.

“The discovery of the marijuana is the direct result of alert CBP officers conducting a thorough inspection of the bus and its passengers. The use of the narcotics detector dog allowed officers to quietly identify the contraband,” said James T. Engleman, CBP director of Field Operations for the Buffalo Field Office. “Dorcelus was turned over to the custody of the New York State Police pending arraignment on felony charges of criminal possession of marijuana.”

Task 1. Scan the two articles and answer the following questions:

1. What organization is mentioned in both articles?

2. What is the sphere of its activity?

3. What is smuggling subject to?

Task 2. Read article II. True or false?

1. CBP officers discovered a female hiding in the trunk of a car.

2. They were happy to discover the 25-year-old female.

3. Even more remarkable was that she was a Canadian citizen.

4. The driver was under the erroneous notion that the passenger would not be permitted back into the United States because she lacked a passport.

5. Any smuggling is subject to a fine.

6. The driver had to pay $700.

Task 3. Read article III. Find the expressions in the article that mean:

1. to stop something

2. an act of trying

3. permission to enter

4. passenger check

5. sniffer dog

6. keeping in prison until going to court

7. an official statement made by the police that someone may be guilty

Task 4. Summarize the information in articles II and III and prepare a report on the law enforcement responsibility of the US Customs.