Outbound Traveler Arrested by Minneapolis CBP Officers

Minneapolis — On Feb. 17, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended a male U.S. citizen with a warrant at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. CBP officers conducting routine checks on a departing flight bound for Cancun, Mexico, discovered Joseph Voorhees, age 30, as the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant for failure to appear on a previous fifth degree felony drug charge.

CBP officers intercepted Voorhees prior to boarding the flight and identified him as a positive match to the NCIC warrant. NCIC stands for National Criminal Information Center and is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies. CBP officers arrested Voohrees in coordination with the Minneapolis Airport Police, who turned him over to the Anoka County Sheriffs Department. Voorhees was polite and cooperative during the arrest procedure.

“This apprehension further demonstrates CBP commitment to protecting our homeland,” said David Murphy, CBP Director of Field Operations in Chicago. “The use of a law enforcement database by CBP officers in Minneapolis was instrumental in the apprehension of this wanted individual. The arrest is another fine example of CBP in action and partnerships with local law enforcement agencies to catch fugitives who try to run from the law.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s top priority is to keep terrorists and their weapons from entering the U.S. While welcoming all legitimate travelers and trade, CBP officers enforce all applicable U.S. laws. CBP prevents narcotics, agricultural pests and smuggled goods from entering and exiting the country and also identifies and arrests those with outstanding criminal warrants.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.