450 illegal tamales from Mexico seized at LAX and 'incinerated' (not steamed)

Los Angeles Times ^ | November 18, 2015 | Veronica Rocha

[ConservativeStatement]

Apparently there are illegal tamales.

A passenger at Los Angeles International Airport learned that the hard way earlier this month when he tried to bring pork tamales into the U.S. from Mexico.

The passenger arrived from Mexico on Nov. 2 and was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists, who found 450 pork tamales wrapped in plastic bags in the passenger’s luggage.

[ConservativeStatement]

I guess the Los Angeles Times chose not to use the term "undocumented tamales."

[Kartographer]

#freeundocumentedtamalesnow

[Wolfie]

Here Today, Gone Tamale.

[V_TWIN]

Tamales!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D_IjYntlXY

[Major Matt Mason]

[Uncle Miltie]

Thas racis!

[bigbob]

This takes “hot tamale” to a whole new level

[relictele]

Live hijackers = OK
Dead meat = not OK

[defconw]

Seems to me they could have passed them out to the homeless at least.

[beaware]

Those PORK tamales were carried for protection! He didn’t know they needed to be registered!

[arthurus]

Blackened tamales with filé.

[Riley]

450 of anything wrapped in plastic bags in your luggage is definitely going to attract Uncle's attention, and not in a good way.

[anymouse]

But they were for personal use. ;)

[butlerweave]

I’m guessing this is the first time in many times this person was caught

[fredhead]

Hot tamales and they’re red hot
Yes we got ‘em for sale
Hot tamales and they’re red hot
Yes we got ‘em for sale
Got 2 for a nickel, 4 for a dime
Would sell you more but they ain’t none of mine.
Hot tamales and they’re red hot
Yes we got ‘em for sale

[chopperman]

Is that called ‘Pittsburgh Style’?

[Patriot Babe]

That reminds me of an incident many many years ago. As a preteen, I went to Mexico City with my family to see my dad’s family who lives there. They took us to a restaurant where you can order tortillas and the fillings and you do the filling at the table. With the order came with cheese, OMG my mom and I just loved it especially melted. I couldn’t stop eating. So we asked what kind of cheese because you can’t find it in the US. So we brought some ball of cheese from the restaurant and we sneaked it in our suitcase. I recall going back and a female custom asked me if I had any fruits, etc. I told her no. God I prayed that she would not look into my case and SHE DID NOT. LOL

Once home, we enjoyed the cheese for our own personal use, not to sell. I wish I can find some Mexican Ham, it is awesome. Can’t find it here in the US.

[varina davis]

Years ago my brother-in-law’s mom made a huge batch of tamales for Christmas and I’ve never forgotten how amazingly good they were. Never had better since then.

[publius911]

The passenger arrived from Mexico on Nov. 2 and was stopped by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists, who found 450 pork tamales wrapped in plastic bags in the passenger's luggage.

Ya think that the fact the luggage weighed 300 pounds gave it away?

[Patriot Babe]

O yes homemade Tamales are the best. I would like to make some for myself but I have a electric stove that does not heat well.