Man Admits Kicking Customs Dog That Found Prohibited Items In Baggage

DULLES, VA — A 70-year-old Egyptian man admitted in federal court on Wednesday to kicking a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector dog that alerted to undeclared food items in the traveler's baggage, according to CBP.

On Tuesday, CBP agriculture detector dog Freddie and his handler were inspecting baggage that had just arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport on a flight from Cairo, Egypt, when the 5-year-old beagle alerted to one of the Egyptian traveler's suitcases, according to CBP.

As a CBP officer began questioning the traveler, the man kicked Freddie with enough force to lift the 25-pound dog off the ground. Other CBP officers handcuffed the traveler, whom they identified as Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, and handed him over to Homeland Security.

Freddie was examined by a veterinarian who determined that he had suffered contusions to his right forward rib area.

CBP agriculture specialists examined Marie's baggage and found 55 pounds of beef meat, 44 pounds of rice, 15 pounds of eggplant, cucumbers, and bell peppers, two pounds of corn seeds, and a pound of herbs, according to officials. All agriculture products were prohibited from entering the U.S. and seized.

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During an initial hearing in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on Wednesday, Marie pleaded guilty to a charge of harming animals used in law enforcement, according to CBP.

After being credited for time served, Marie was ordered to pay the veterinarian's fee and immediately report to the CBP for removal from the U.S. CBP reported that Marie was put on a 12:30 p.m. flight to Egypt on the same day.

“Being caught deliberately smuggling well over one hundred pounds of undeclared and prohibited agriculture products does not give one permission to violently assault a defenseless Customs and Border Protection beagle,” said Christine Waugh, CBP’s area port director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C. “We rely heavily on our K9 partners and Freddie was just doing his job. Any malicious attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and CBP will continue to work with our investigating and prosecuting partners to deal swift and severe justice to perpetrators.”