Lawsuit over liquor seized in South Texas

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — Some liquor is in limbo in South Texas.

A federal judge will decide the fate of tens of thousands of bottles of booze seized in 2007.

Prosecutors recently filed a lawsuit in McAllen to try to gain ownership of nearly 2,000 boxes of liquor confiscated at the Progreso International Bridge.

Customs and Border Protection spokesman Felix Garza says exporters must comply with certain procedures to be able to transport merchandise legally.

The lawsuit says the owner applied import and export stickers that had been previously used. The suit also says the bottles originally had English labels, but those were covered with Spanish ones.

The owner would have to pay more than $56,000 to get the booze back.

KGBT-TV reports the exporter is unable to come up with the cash.

Prosecutors declined comment.
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Information from: KGBT-TV, http://www.valleycentral.com