MAN CAUGHT SMUGGLING 450 PORK TAMALES INTO THE U.S.

A passenger arriving at Los Angeles International Airport from Mexico was fined $1,000 after customs inspectors discovered 450 illegal pork tamales in his luggage. The incident occurred on Nov. 2. The passenger declared bringing food into the country on the customs forms, but when asked if the food contained any pork meat products, the passenger lied and verbally said no. Agriculture specialists then inspected the passenger’s luggage and found 450 illegal pork tamales individually wrapped in plastic bags. There are federal regulations on importing meat, which carry disease risks.
* I think I’ve sat next to that guy on an airplane.
* Sorry – do we have a tamale shortage that I haven’t noticed?
* 450 tamales? No problem. Pork? Problem. Go figure.
* When people talk about tightening the border, I don’t think this is what they mean.
* Maybe bringing your own tamales is the Mexican version of America’s “Don’t drink the water when you cross the border.”
* I know airline food is bad, but that’s no reason to take matters into your own hands.
* Oh well, at least he brought enough for the whole plane.
* The first clue was the vat of hot sauce in his carryon baggage.
* Then, while the custom inspectors were busy with the tamales, the 10 kilos of cocaine slipped through no problem.