Illegal cockfighting paraphernalia seized by Cincinnati CBP

CINCINNATI— A package arriving from Mexico was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Cincinnati Port of Entry on May 3. The officers inspected the parcel and found 10 pairs of leather cockspur covers and 10 cockfighting knife sheaths.

The shipment, headed to a residence in Corsica, Texas, was manifested as “20 articles for birds”. These covers and sheath are illegal under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Signed into law in 1966, the AWA is the only federal law that regulates the treatment of animals in exhibition. Also, this shipment violated Title 7 U.S. Code 2156 stating the buying, selling, delivering, or transporting of instruments for use in animal fighting ventures is prohibited. Additionally, cockfighting is illegal as part of the Farm Act, which banned cockfighting in all 16 U.S. territories in 2018.

“The improper manifesting of contraband as a harmless or legitimate commodity is a common tactic used by some ill-intended importers to elude further examination,” according to LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations-Chicago Field Office. “However, CBP officers are trained and vigilant in the detection of those types of tricks and work hard to make sure these prohibited items stay out of our communities.”

Cockfighting spurs and sheaths are used to cover the razor-sharp blades tied to the bird’s legs. During a cockfight, the birds are placed in a pen face-to-face and commonly use these spurs to kill or incapacitate their opponent. Spurs are so dangerous that handlers are often slashed by their own bird. By employing these sheaths and coverings the handlers protect themselves from injury.

CBP routinely conducts inspection operations on arriving and departing international flights and intercepts narcotics, weapons, currency, prohibited agriculture products, counterfeit goods, and other illicit items at our nation’s 328 international ports of entry.

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