Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

LEWISTON, N.Y. – Yesterday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Lewiston Bridge seized a shipment of baby clothing found to contain lead. On March 19, CBP officers, working in collaboration with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, examined a shipment of children’s clothing manufactured in China. Preliminary findings resulted in the discovery of possible lead contamination. Samples were shipped to CPSC’s Product Testing and Evaluation Center which confirmed that the clothing contained excessive and violative levels of lead on component parts of the clothing. The shipment was seized under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and will be destroyed. Thursday, the shipment was seized under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act and will be destroyed. “Our close working relationship with CPSC prevented extremely harmful clothing from entering the commerce and potentially prevented some serious health issues,” said Joseph Draganac, acting port direct...

LEWISTON, NY – U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at the Lewiston Bridge discovered live Khapra Beetle larvae, one of the world’s most destructive insect pests, inside a shipment of rain ponchos from China. On October 28, 2014 an ocean container being hauled by a commercial tractor arrived at the Lewiston Bridge and was referred for further examination. During a physical inspection of the commodity, CBP agriculture specialists discovered three live insect larvae. The container was sealed and the pest was forwarded to USDA for identification. Thursday, a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) – Plant Protection and Quarantine entomologist identified the pest as Trogoderma granarium Everts, commonly known as Khapra Beetle. The shipment was sealed and re-exported to Canada. “Intercepting Khapra Beetle is vital to the agriculture industry, said Randy Howe, Director of Field Operations for the CBP Buffalo Field Office. “In th...

Police picked up an illegal alien during a traffic stop early this morning in Kennedy, New York. Troopers say after they pulled the vehicle over on I-86 23-year-old Guillermo Lopez-Rendon of Mexico was unable to provide a passport. They contact US Customs and Border Protection agents who determined that Lopez-Rendon was in the US illegally. He was turned over to Border Protection agents who took him to the Erie County, PA, Jail. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations announced today the arrest of a Canadian male attempting to smuggle marijuana across the border. On Nov. 10, CBP officers working at the Peace Bridge encountered 39-year-old Jordan Rodger, a citizen of Canada and resident of Toronto, Ontario. Rodger was traveling in his mother’s 2009 Porsche and claimed to be destined to the local area for shopping. The CBP officer inspecting the vehicle noticed luggage in the rear of the vehicle during a trunk exam and referred the vehicle for further inspection. When the vehicle was searched by CBP officers, a brown suitcase was found to contain coffee grinds surrounding vacuum sealed bags with a green leafy substance. All 20 vacuum sealed bags tested positive for marijuana. Often coffee grinds are used in an attempt to mask the potent marijuana smell. The approximate weight of the marijuana was 23 pounds. Rodger was arrested by CBP officers and turned over to the custody of the Buffalo...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will host the 31st annual Law Enforcement Awareness and Familiarization Day on Wednesday, Sept. 18, giving people an opportunity to talk with law enforcement officers and learn more about what they do. The program will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Frame-Westerberg Commons and is free and open to the public. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and North Central Highway Safety Network will be in attendance with a driving simulator. Other participants are Bradford Township police, City of Bradford Police, the U.S. Army, Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, U.S. Border Patrol, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Pennsylvania Game Commission, U.S. Forest Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Correctional Institution – McKean, New York State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Enforcement, McKean County District Attorney’s Office, McKean Count...

After agents in a helicopter found marijuana growing operation a Ludlow man found himself facing 47 charges. Police say Customs and Border Protection agents in the helicopter discovered the operation on August 10 in Hamilton Township. They contacted members of the McKean County Drug Task Force, who arrested 47-year-old Todd Haight for having 23 marijuana plants and a jar containing harvested marijuana. Haight is free on $10,000 bail. Image from Google Earth © The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

A Canadian citizen is facing charges after being found hiding behind some luggage in the trunk of car that was crossing the Peace Bridge. US Customs and Border Protection agents say they were inspecting the vehicle when they found 41-year-old Demetry Furman hiding in the trunk. He had previously been refused admission to the United States because of his criminal record. He was arraigned in federal court on a charge of eluding inspection. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced an upcoming addition to NEXUS lane availability at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge for U.S. bound NEXUS traffic and a modification of NEXUS hours at the Rainbow Bridge. These changes will be effective on Dec. 17, 2012. CBP at the Lewiston Bridge will introduce a NEXUS lane for U.S. bound traffic available Monday through Friday from 7 to 9 a.m. The Rainbow Bridge NEXUS lane hours will change to Monday through Friday 6 to 10 a.m. The weekend and holiday hours for NEXUS at the Rainbow Bridge will be 8 to 10 a.m. Travelers are reminded that the NEXUS exclusive Whirlpool Bridge operates seven days per week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Peace Bridge NEXUS lane hours will remain the same at Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekend and holiday hours 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Port of Buffalo continuously monitors NEXUS lane usage and employs active lane management to meet traffic demands and ensure that NE...

BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations reminds travelers planning cross border trips this Holiday weekend to make sure they have the proper documents and to plan for a possible increase in traffic. CBP officials want to inform the traveling public that there are a number of steps that can be taken to facilitate their arrival into the United States. Travelers should check traffic conditions at the four border crossings within the Buffalo/Niagara region and select the crossing that is least congested. Travelers can easily obtain current border traffic conditions by calling the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission’s toll free number at 1-800-715-6722 or by visiting any of the following websites: www.cbp.gov , www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca , www.nittec.org , www.peacebridge.com , or www.niagarafallsbridges.com . Travelers should familiarize themselves with the “Know Before You Go” section of the CBP Web site and consult the border wait times page (Know Before You Go) (Wa...

Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputies picked up an illegal immigrant who had been living in Chautauqua County. Deputies stopped 21-year-old Sesena Gutierrez in the Town of Coldspring at 1:20 this morning and learned he did not have proof of his citizenship or legal rights to be in the US. Gutierrez had been living in Westfield, New York, but is now in the custody of US Customs and Border Patrol agents. The original news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Buffalo, N.Y. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced the seizure of over eighteen thousand marijuana pipes and accessory paraphernalia in a cargo shipment attempting to cross at the Peace Bridge. On November 5th, CBP Officers intercepted a shipment of 147 boxes of illegal drug paraphernalia destined to New York City. (See photo) The shipment, originating in China, was being hauled across the border manifested as glass vases and pipe accessories. The shipment was targeted by CBP Trade Enforcement Officers due to discrepancies in the shipping paperwork and was held for a secondary inspection. The boxes were offloaded and all items were inventoried and inspected. A total of over 16,000 marijuana smoking pipes were discovered and over 2,000 other accessory items were revealed. The Port of Buffalo has executed approximately five other similar seizures in 2011, all goods originating from East Asia, with this case being the largest. In almost all cases, the quantity a...

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Buffalo Field Office, is reporting on a false claim to U.S. citizenship arrest and the seizure and arrest of nearly five pounds of ecstasy taped to a traveler’s body. A significant arrest and seizure took place yesterday, October 20th, at the Peace Bridge when CBP Officers discovered close to five pounds of MDMA-ecstasy strapped to a man’s body. John Stasinski, a 33-year-old U.S. citizen from Manhattan, NY was encountered as a traveler on a commercial bus. The narcotics were discovered when Stasinski was selected for additional enforcement checks after showing signs of nervousness during his initial interview. After noticing an unusually “bulky” look to his mid section, CBP Officers subsequently discovered two pouches of illegal narcotics in a tightly wrapped body package around the small of his back. The substance discovered was a powder form of ecstasy. Stasinski was arrested and turned over to the custody of Homeland ...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations announced the seizure of over 15 pounds of marijuana and the arrest of a Canadian citizen in the smuggling attempt. On January 13, CBP officers encountered Michael Mazza, a 40-year-old Canadian citizen from Fort Erie, Ontario as he applied for admission into the United States at the Peace Bridge border crossing. Mr. Mazza advised the primary CBP officer that he was en route to the Buffalo area to shop. Additional questioning raised the suspicion of the primary CBP officer and Mr. Mazza was referred for a secondary enforcement exam. During the course of the secondary inspection, CBP officers discovered an anomaly with the spare tire. A physical inspection yielded 15 vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana concealedin the spare tire. The bags had a total weight of approximately 15.4 pounds of marijuana andan estimated street value of $60,000. Mr. Mazza was arrested on charges of importation and possession with the intent to di...

Three men who had been living in Randolph, and working on a farm in the area, are now facing charges for being in the country illegally. 22-year-old Florencio Cruz-Hernandez, 18-year-old Jose Castro-Lopez and 34-year-old Juan Cruz-Martinez were picked up late Sunday night after the car they were passengers in was stopped for a minor traffic violation. U.S. Border Patrol in Erie went to the Jamestown Police Department to interview the men. They were detained until Border Protection agents arrived and took them into custody.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations seized nearly 240 pounds of cocaine when a Canadian resident was trying to get back into his country at the Lewiston-Queenston border crossing. Officers say 29-year-old Ravinder Arora appeared extremely nervous during primary questioning, so they selected him for an enforcement examination. During the inspection of Arora’s empty commercial trailer, officers noticed that the floor of the vehicle had been tampered with and replaced with non-factory screws. When they removed the floor boards, they found 97 vacuum-sealed bricks of cocaine. “This is the largest cocaine seizure to date in the Port of Buffalo and has a street value of approximately $3.6 million,” said Buffalo Port Director Joseph J. Wilson in a news release. Arora is charged with narcotics possession and has been turned over to agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations for further investigation and prosecution by the U.S. Attorne...

State police and US Border Protection agents confiscated 176 marijuana plants spotted growing in a wooded area of Sheridan Thursday morning. The plants had a street value of about $352,000. No arrests have been made yet, and police are continuing their investigation.

LEWISTON, N.Y.– U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations announced the seizure of over 17 pounds of marijuana and the arrest two Canadian citizens in the smuggling attempt. On August 14, CBP officers encountered Eric Li and Derek Lee, both 32-year-old Canadian Citizens from Markham and Thornhill, Ontario respectively, as they applied for admission into the United States at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge border crossing in Lewiston, N.Y. The two advised the primary CBP officer that they were en route to Boston, Mass to visit friends and shop. Additional questioning raised the suspicion of the CBP officer and both were referred for a secondary enforcement exam. During the course of the secondary inspection, CBP officers discovered what appeared to be modifications made to the vehicle. A physical inspection yielded 64 vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana secreted in the rear doors, hatch and front fender area. The bags had a total weight of approximately 17.9 pounds of marijua...

BUFFALO, N.Y.– U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations announced the arrest of a Cuban National wanted on federal narcotics trafficking charges. Today, CBP officers received notification from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that Rolando Morales-Yanes, a 35-year-old Cuban National with lawful US permanent resident status, was being deported from Canada and returned to the United States, according to an e-mail sent to WESB and The HERO by CBP. Morales-Yanes attempted to enter Canada on June 19 via the Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada, but was detained by CBSA because of an active warrant. Mr. Morales-Yanes was subsequently given an order of deportation from Canada and returned to the United States today via the Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo. Upon his return to the United States, CBP officers verified the validity of the nation-wide federal warrant and confirmed the extradition. The warrant was issued on March 11, 2010 by the United Stat...

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.– U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations announced the arrest of a United States citizen wanted in Maryland on homicide charges. On July 30, CBP officers received notification from Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) that Benjamin Moore, a 46- year-old United States citizen from Lexington Park, Maryland, was being deported from Canada and returned to the United States. Canadian authorities advised that Mr. Moore was taken into custody by Niagara Regional Police after a traffic stop in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Record checks by Canadian authorities revealed the possibility of an active warrant in the United States. Mr. Moore was deported from Canada by CBSA and returned to the United States via the Rainbow Bridge border crossing in Niagara Falls. Upon his return to the United States, CBP officers verified the validity of the nation-wide felony warrant and confirmed the extradition. The warrant was issued July 26, 2010 by the St. Mary’s County (MD...

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations today announced that they seized about 20 pounds of Ecstasy from a Canadian citizen who was trying to cross the Peace Bridge on Sunday. CBP officers encountered Anthony Ighodaro, a 29-year-old Canadian citizen from Mississauga, Ontario, as he applied for admission into the United States at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo. Ighodaro provided a Canadian passport as proof of citizenship and identity and told the primary CBP that he was on his way to the mall to spend the day shopping. Ighodaro was selected for a CBP secondary enforcement exam. During the course of the secondary vehicle inspection, a CBP narcotics detector dog demonstrated a positive alert to the rear bumper area of the vehicle. A subsequent physical inspection of the area in question resulted in the discovery of two black garbage bags that were affixed to the inside rear bumper utilizing black tape and wire. The garbage bags were found to contain six clear ...