CBP Specialists at Laredo Port of Entry Intercept 23 Live Ticks Found on Deer Hide

Laredo, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at the Laredo Port of Entry recently intercepted a significant amount of possible cattle fever ticks found on an imported trophy deer hide.

On Jan. 8, 2012 a CBP officer at Colombia-Solidarity Bridge referred a driver of a Chevy pickup truck to secondary examination after he declared a trophy deer hide originating from Nuevo Leon, Mexico. A CBP agriculture specialist conducted an examination and discovered 23 live ticks on the hide.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist identified the pest as Boophilus sp., which includes cattle fever tick, a pest of quarantine significance in cattle.

CBP refused entry of the hide. The hunter abandoned the hide for destruction.

Imported trophy deer hides must be free of live or dead ticks. Hides must be treated chemically or be frozen to ensure elimination of these pests.

 “This is the largest amount of fever ticks that our agriculture specialists have found on a single deer hide this season,” said Sidney Aki, CBP Port Director, Laredo. “Stopping fever ticks at the border illustrates the crucial role CBP agriculture specialists play in protecting American agriculture and livestock and preventing possible adverse impact to the U.S. cattle industry.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.