Newly appointed Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency Director Eric Palacios on March 27 tried to bring illegal knives into Guam through the airport, and the knives were seized by Customs, according to the agency’s spokeswoman.
Palacios brought the items to the airport on a flight to Guam from the Philippines.
“They’re regulated items,” according to spokeswoman Jessi Santos-Torres, who said Palacios at the time was given a copy of the regulations related to prohibited items and a number to call for further information.
She said Palacios later called the number, and upon further investigation Customs and Quarantine determined the knives were prohibited items and would not be released to Palacios.
They still are being held by Customs and Quarantine and eventually will be destroyed, she said.
“I did not know,” Palacios said. He said he did not try to conceal the knives, which were in the middle of his bag, in plain view when the bag was opened.
“They were flagged at the Customs counter as not being enterable,” he said.
Palacios said he was given the option of sending the knives back to the Philippines, but decided it was not worth the expense or effort. “I chalked it up as a loss of a gift from a family member,” he said.
