April 10, 2007

Border officers recover $3 million in wedding dresses stolen from cancer charity

NOGALES, Ariz. - Alert officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have seized $3 million worth of wedding dresses and other items stolen last November, along with the dreams of many breast cancer victims hoping for a final wish come true.

The donated dresses were on their way to Los Angeles to a fundraiser for Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation when the vehicle was stolen in Scottsdale, Ariz. This callous robbery was reported nationally and led to an outpouring of donations to the organization that grants dying wishes to breast cancer victims.

"It's a rare privilege to have a hand in turning bad news into good news," said CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. "The men and women of CBP are absolutely delighted to be able to return these stolen wedding dresses, and the hope they represent, to Making Memories and the women who will receive their services."

During the evening of April 5, CBP officers working at the commercial import facility in Nogales noticed unusual aspects about a 40-foot trailer being towed into the country. Officers became suspicious when they saw masking tape covered some of the markings on the trailer and decided it merited further inspection. Officers questioned the driver, who had been refused entry into Mexico by Mexican customs officials. When the officers opened the back of the trailer to look at the contents, they found it full of wedding dresses.

When the officers removed the tape covering up the trailer markings, they found that the trailer belonged to Making Memories. Connecting the dresses with the company name, they realized that they were probably holding the $3 million worth of dresses stolen, along with the trailer and other items, during the November 2006 Scottsdale robbery.

The driver was taken into custody and CBP contacted the director of Making Memories to let her know of the find.

"When the call came in, I felt blessed beyond my wildest dreams," said Fran Hansen, co-founder and national director for Making Memories. "I'd been praying for that moment for the past several months."

Hansen said she is forever grateful to Customs and Border Protection and to the officers involved in the recovery for their diligent review of all border crossings into the United States. "If it wasn't for their watchful eye, we may never have gotten our trailer and gowns back. Now we can turn these gowns into special memories for terminal breast cancer patients."

Personnel of the Scottsdale Police Department and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are continuing the investigation into the theft.

"It's gratifying to know that our collective law enforcement efforts will help to make dreams come true for brides-to-be and cancer patients around the country," said Alonzo Peña, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Arizona. "In the meantime, ICE continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident. Our priority is to do everything possible to see that those responsible for this reprehensible crime are identified, arrested and brought to justice."

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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