U.S. Customs and Border Protection Steps Up Enforcement

Major seizures and arrests mark a busy week for CBP.

• Buffalo battery haul: On March 26, CBP officers at the Peace Bridge warehouse in Buffalo, N.Y., confiscated close to 350,000 lithium‑ion batteries suspected of violating import regulations.

• Laredo drug busts: In Laredo, Texas, two back‑to‑back operations yielded more than $1.3 million worth of heroin, fentanyl and methamphetamine, underscoring the agency’s focus on curbing narcotics flow from the south.

• Fugitive roundup: Between March 27 and March 31, CBP agents in the Laredo Field Office apprehended five individuals charged with felony offenses ranging from homicide to sexual assault.

• ICE spyware revelation: Separate reporting confirmed ICE’s deployment of a powerful phone‑hacking tool, raising privacy concerns and prompting calls for oversight of immigration‑related surveillance.

CBP officials say the coordinated actions reflect “the most secure border in American history,” while critics warn that aggressive enforcement must balance security with civil liberties.