National

8,300 bongs headed for California seized by border agents, feds say

A shipment of illegal bongs from China was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at Washington Dulles International Airport on Wednesday, the agency said.

The air cargo shipment, appraised by CBP’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center for Excellence and Expertise, was 41 boxes containing 8,387 glass and silicone smoking pipes and bongs with an estimated value of $142,495, the release states.

One of the bongs seized at Dulles International Airport.
One of the bongs seized at Dulles International Airport. Photo courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

The shipment, which was en route to Los Angeles from China, was examined by CBP officers on September 8. It is illegal to import drug paraphernalia, the release says.

“Customs and Border Protection remains committed to facilitating lawful trade while identifying consumer goods that violate U.S. laws or illicit products that can potentially harm our nation’s citizens,” said Casey Durst, the Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office. “Legitimate international trade helps to sustain our nation’s economic vitality and security.”

This story was originally published October 2, 2020 at 12:55 PM with the headline "8,300 bongs headed for California seized by border agents, feds say."

TJ Macias
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
TJ Macías is a Real-Time national sports reporter for McClatchy based out of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Formerly, TJ covered the Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers beat for numerous media outlets including 24/7 Sports and Mavs Maven (Sports Illustrated). Twitter: @TayloredSiren
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