Egyptian man deported after violently kicking border security beagle

An Egyptian national who violently assaulted a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture detection beagle at an airport has been removed from the United States. The incident occurred on Tuesday at the Washington Dulles International Airport.

Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, 70, pled guilty on Wednesday to harming animals used in law enforcement during an initial appearance in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

According to CBP, agriculture detector dog Freddie, a five-year-old beagle, and his handler were inspecting baggage that had arrived from Cairo, Egypt. Freddie became alerted to one of Marie's suitcases, prompting his handler to question Marie, who proceeded to violently kick the pooch. Authorities said the attack was so forceful that the 25-pound beagle lifted off the ground. Freddie sustained contusions to his right forward rib area, according to a press release.

Marie was immediately handcuffed by CBP officers, who turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents for prosecution, authorities said. 

CBP agriculture specialists examined Marie's baggage and 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 seized," CBP said.

During the court hearing, the judge credited Marie with time served, ordered him to pay the veterinarian's fee, and remanded him to CBP custody for removal from the United States. According to CBP, Marie was sent back to Egypt on Thursday at 12:30 pm.

"Being caught deliberately smuggling well over one hundred pounds of undeclared and prohibited agriculture products does not give one permission to violenly 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."