An Egyptian national, Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, 70, has been deported for kicking an airport security sniffer dog so hard that it became airborne.
Reports indicate that Marie’s infraction was anything but a knee-jerk action. He had lined up his foot with the beagle after it outed him for the 100 pounds of prohibited food items stashed in his luggage.
Highlights
- Egyptian tourist fined $840 and deported after violently kicking TSA beagle at Dulles Airport.
- Freddie, a five-year-old sniffer dog, sniffed out 100 pounds of illegal food before being attacked.
- The incident sparked outrage online, turning Freddie into a hero among animal lovers.
The fracas resulted in Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials arresting the man and turning him over to the Department of Homeland Security.
The Egyptian national was immediately handcuffed and handed over to Homeland Security
Image credits: CBPFieldOps
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has since released an official report on the matter, saying that Freddie, a five-year-old agriculture detector dog, and his handler were deployed at Dulles Airport in Washington on Tuesday, June 24.
The duo had been examining the luggage of passengers who had just disembarked an EgyptAir flight when they came upon Marie and his baggage.
The handler started questioning the septuagenarian, who in response “violently kicked Freddie with sufficient force to lift the 25-pound beagle off the ground.”
Image credits: CBPFieldOps
The notice goes on to say that “CBP officers immediately descended upon Marie, handcuffed him, and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents for prosecution.”
The perpetrator was billed $840 and put on the next plane to Cairo
Marie appeared in court on Thursday, June 26, where he pleaded guilty “to harming animals used in law enforcement” and was sentenced to time served.
Image credits: Bill Melugin
He was ordered by the U.S. Eastern District of Virginia Court to pay veterinary fees for Freddie, who sustained bruises around his ribs, which amounted to $840.
He was also ordered to “immediately report to CBP for removal from the United States.”
As a nod to the direction, the CBP notice, titled “Egyptian traveler eats federal charges for kicking Dulles CBP beagle,” claimed Marie was put on a plane back to Cairo at 12:30 p.m. on the same day.
Freddie outed a stash of illicit foodstuffs that was four times his weight
Image credits: Homeland Security
The stash of illegal food that drew Freddie's attention comprised “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.”
“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.”
Image credits: www.facebook.com
Image credits: www.facebook.com
The CBP report used the opportunity to underscore the role of its “Beagle Brigade,” stating that it played a vital role “in screening passengers and cargo to prevent the introduction of harmful plant pests and foreign animal disease from entering the U.S.”
It further noted that animal and plant-related parasites, along with “invasive pests and weeds,” cost America “billions of dollars in eradication measures and lost revenues.”
America employs up to 120 beagles at 88 of its international airports
Meanwhile, Freddie’s experience has propelled him to fame.
A video of the hound is flighting on Facebook and depicts the beagle applying his keen sense of smell and directing his handler, Officer Snyder, to a large stash of raw chicken hiding in someone's luggage.
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), Freddie is one of 120 Beagles employed by the CBP and state and local government departments.
Image credits: CBPFieldOps
They can be seen weaving through baggage at 88 of America's international airports with their uniformed handlers in tow.
AKC says they are chosen for their calm temperaments and diminutive size so as not to alarm passengers.
They are trained to alert their owners by sitting down when they detect illicit material.
The incident has made Freddie a hero on social media
Image credits: CBPFieldOps
Responding to earlier reports, before Marie was fined and deported, social media called for an in-kind type of punishment.
“A Quick KICK INTO THE BALLS and this guy would be Crawling All the Way Home,” specified another.
Image credits: CBPFieldOps
The relief expressed by animal lovers in response to the more recent videos on Facebook was overwhelming.
A user summed up the sentiment when she wrote:
“Freddy!!!! Look how handsome you are !!!!! You are so brave and I'm so proud of you !!!!”
Social media thinks the perpetrator should be banned from the US
