As the holiday season winds down, the cheese smuggling season heats up along the Texas / Mexico border. Folks returning home from holiday stays and family visits in Mexico are often tempted to bring undeclared delicacies across the border, falling into the clutches of Cheese Crime™:

The largest penalty was assessed in a cheese smuggling case at the Paso Del Norte port of entry in El Paso.

[US Customs and Border Protection] officers were performing inspections on Dec. 28 when a 2008 Chevrolet HHR arrived at the primary inspection booth. CBP officers received a negative declaration for any plant, fruit, meat or vegetable products.

But when CBP officers searched the vehicle, they discovered 10 wheels of cheese weighing 116.5 pounds hidden in the spare tire well. CBP officers seized and destroyed the cheese and assessed a penalty of $697.84, which was the domestic value of the smuggled product.

Read the full story at The Alpine Avalanche