It is a serious problem to being in fruits and veggies that could carry pests, the feds could have just destroyed the stuff and said move along. Instead they fine.

Since we are so good about keeping illegal vegigies out of the USA how bout the illegal immigrants? Dont they bring in diseases and cost us a huge amount of money taking care of their problems? How bout just deporting all of them, since we are so hard on veggies?

Fair is Fair.

The reason we have laws governing bring in vegetables is the threat to the food supply of new plant diseases and pests being introduced into the US. These people got exactly what they deserved.

You’re an idiot. Probably a lib that can’t afford to go anywhere cause you sit at home and wait for the gov’s money.

agree. the way in which you react makes a big difference

Yet another failure and abuse by the DHS run Customs agency. Their total disregard for travelers is evidenced by TSA and their abuses and extends to every facet of DHS operations. Napolitano is a criminal and needs to be prosecuted for criminal malfeasance by the next Administration.

They could have just as easily destroyed the fruit and allowed the family to proceed unimpeded. This was clearly a simple oversight with no criminal intent. Just another example of Government clerks taking the regulations to the extreme and abusing their authority. DHS needs to be dismantled.

It’s silly since millions of people infiltrate the USA every year through the land borders and by landing ships all along the coasts.

From Israel? There had to be an argument over the vegetables and fruit. This law prevents diseases from infecting American crops.

If she did not sit with the Husband and boys why did she not just tell the husband the snakes were there. Every time you go into or out of any country you hjave the declaration form, as long as it is on that form, you may not bring it in but you are not in trouble either.

Another example of quality journalism. “They were told they had violated a federal crime…” Seriously? Doesn’t anyone check this garbage before you publish it? Perhaps the crime beat was on vacation, and they had to ask people from the sports beat to fill in. This whole report reads like a “What I did on my summer vacation” paper written by a high school football player.

What is it with those commenters and their “do the crime – pay the fine” attitude? The custom agent is ALLOWED to confiscate and destroy which is what happened to us once when my daughter of 3 had a half-eaten apple, which she was still eating. The regulation makes sense but the manner of application, with the $300. fine, is absurd. I’m sick to death of the insolence from little bullies that we have to put up with just to travel by air now. If nobody protests about this, they’ll just get worse – creeping ever-increasing intrusions into our lives.

What we all must remember is that harmful insects, with no natural enemies have been transported innocently into our country and have wreaked havoc on our crops and forests and even water ways.. There are reasons why there are strict laws about bringing fresh produce into our country.

didn’t know what world their in? how about the real world!

When I worked on the Mexican Border, we never fined people for something this insignificant. We just confiscated it and it was picked up later by someone from the Mexican Orphanage in Tijuana. Now, 50 pounds of pork was another thing, especially if it was hidden. That’s worth a fine.

If you want to bring vermin in to the US, then the government says you’ll have to do it at the Mexican border.

There is a lot of infestation in D.C. It’s about money and they are getting where-ever they can.

How do you spell indiscretion – government!!

I am a gardener and a frequent flier. This isn’t about the dangers of introducing foreign pests. It’s about the lack of discretion of a customs officer. They could have simply destroyed the fruit. As another commenter pointed out, these people were not smugglers or repeat offenders. If you weren’t there you don’t know how they behaved; don’t assume the family reacted with a “hissyfit.”

Probably a Jew-hating custom’s officer. But really, thank you Prez Clinton for imposing these new custom’s laws as revenge because Europe blocked importation of American GMO crops and hormone-laden beef products. We have too many fat and overpaid bullies running the government.

That California agricultural station has its roots in the great depression and the dust bowl.. They were set up to keep Okies out of California First they sent Los Angleles police to the border to turn back refugees from Oklahoma but that was illegal so they put state agricultural agents on the job to put a stamp of legality to it. Like all government institutions they never ended the operation even when the need for it was gone.

This has nothing to do with the TSA, read the article then open your mouth.

We fly as a family internationally all the time. We are used to things that are or are not allowed. Part of the trip is getting through security to board, the rest is focused on getting off and through customs and imigration. Could there possibly be more to the reason the inspector took such a harsh position?

How about a food irradiator at airports and at ports? Irradiation will kill bugs, bacteria, fungus (read the wiki on this subject). There’s already many types of X-ray machines at the airports, though an irradiator is much more powerful. Thus travelers can bring any food they want across borders. The food flavor, texture and nutritional value is unchanged.

I once had a airline-provided ham sandwich confiscated when entering US at ORD. It was hard to imagine what kind of pest I was introducing to U.S. or (perhaps more likely) financial hardship to local ham-producers I was causing.

The fine is harsh, but this is just a matter of common sense. Mrs. Steinberger should have known that there are restrictions about bringing produce into the United States. I packed fresh fruit for a long flight to Hawaii. There were announcements on the airplane and there were warnings at the gate when we arrived and trash cans were provided for everyone who forgot they had produce in their carry-on bags. It was Mrs. Steinberger’s responsibility to toss those items. She was the one who packed the produce.

How to win friends and influence more tourists….

Lairdkeir,
That comment coming from a guy who lives in country that has spurned two world wars and murdered countless millions…..it to say the least a cheap shot.
I guess it is a matter a time before our boys scounts turn to secret police and all is lost. As I remember some of your elected officals weren’t so bright either. I will agree with you that the decline in my country is bad and our elected officals are a joke…..but we are not rioting and burning cars every night because we don’t have anything better to do. I guess since we finished rebuilding Germany we have lost our way.