I've taken mangoes from passengers from Jamaica,

and been threatened with my life.

Never a dull moment here at JFK.

Make it easier, that's it.

(upbeat music)

The reason why we're confiscating all this stuff

is not because it's harmful to the human being.

It's harmful for our plants and our animals.

This is a big port.

Last month we processed 1.5 million passengers.

You figure between fruits and vegetables,

you're talking about two or three hundred kilos a day

in just one terminal.

So you're talking about four to six hundred pounds.

- [Interviewer] What kind of foods are you confiscating?

- Every day is different,

every season is different,

Chinese New Year, Christmas, Easter.

We have beef candy from China,

Serrano ham from Spain,

we have lots of avocados,

salami from Italy,

no Pedro, I take it back, salami supremo,

that's Spain also.

Once the food item is seized,

it's put in what we call the contraband bin.

We drag the contraband bin across the terminal.

It's about a block long,

get a little exercise

and begin the process of grinding up

all the prohibited food items.

We're at the grinder table.

The officer will look

and see if there's any little exit holes or entry holes,

and that's where you're gonna find the insect.

- [Interviewer] Do you enjoy that part of the process?

Is it kind of a stress reliever for you?

- Oh, the grinder is great.

Sometimes I go home with a little bit of mango juice

and passion fruit juice on.

You're just having fun,

the water's splashing in your face,

but this is what we have to do

to protect American agriculture,

it's part of our job.