An Egyptian tourist was swiftly deported from the United States after violently kicking an airport security dog that detected over 100 pounds of prohibited food in his luggage at Washington Dulles International Airport.
Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, 70, attacked beagle Freddie on Tuesday, June 24, as the dog inspected baggage from travelers arriving from Cairo, Egypt. The assault occurred when Freddie alerted to one of Marie’s suitcases, prompting his handler to begin questioning the traveler.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Marie “violently kicked Freddie with sufficient force to lift the 25-pound beagle off the ground.” CBP officers immediately handcuffed Marie and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents for prosecution.
After being taken to an emergency veterinary clinic, Freddie was found to have suffered contusions to his right forward rib area. The five-year-old detector dog received pain medication and is expected to make a full recovery within a week.
When authorities searched Marie’s luggage based on Freddie’s alert, they discovered 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. All agricultural products were prohibited from entering the United States and were seized.
Marie pleaded guilty on Wednesday during an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to harming animals used in law enforcement, a federal offense under 18 USC 1368. The judge credited him with time served, ordered him to pay the veterinarian’s fee of $840, and directed him to immediately report to CBP for removal from the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case. Marie was deported on a flight to Egypt at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, just two days after the incident.
Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., condemned the attack in strong terms: “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. 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.
CBP emphasized the vital role of its Beagle Brigade in protecting American agriculture. CBP’s Beagles Brigade plays a vital role in screening passengers and cargo to prevent the introduction of harmful plant pests and foreign animal disease from entering the U.S.,” the agency stated.
Animal and plant diseases and invasive pests and weeds have cost nations millions to billions of dollars in eradication measures and lost revenues,” CBP added, underscoring why such strict measures are in place to prevent unauthorized agricultural products from entering the country.
The incident highlights the serious consequences of attempting to smuggle prohibited items into the United States and especially of harming law enforcement animals. Federal law provides strong protections for animals working in law enforcement, and attacks on these animals are prosecuted as federal crimes.
Freddie, who has worked as a CBP agriculture detector dog for several years, is part of a specially trained team of beagles that screen passengers and cargo at airports across the United States. These dogs are trained to detect specific odors from prohibited agricultural products that could pose risks to American crops and livestock.
CBP spokesperson Steve Sapp confirmed that Freddie is recovering well and is expected to return to his important duties at Washington Dulles International Airport within the week.
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