Customs Agents Stopped Travelers Coming Into the US With Dead Snakes, Seahorses, and Snail Ointment
The items were seized because of the dangers they might pose to the flora and fauna in the United States, as well as due to the possibility of disease spread
Customs agents seized caches of unusual animal products from travelers arriving in the Washington, D.C., area from Vietnam.
In a press release dated August 23, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the agency said it found illegal pork products, 77 dry seahorses, five jars of snail ointment, five dead snakes, and 50 small boxes of herbal medicine that contained snake oil in the luggage of two travelers coming through the Washington Dulles International Airport last month.
The first traveler arrived on August 1 and carried the seahorses, snail ointment, dead snakes, and illegal pork in their luggage. The second traveler arrived on August 4 and had in their luggage “prohibited pork products” and herbal medicine.
The items were seized because of the dangers they might pose to the flora and fauna in the United States, as well as due to the possibility of disease spread.
Uncertified pork from Vietnam, for example, is “prohibited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture due to the potential introduction of the dangerous African swine fever and swine vesicular disease,” the release says.
The imports of seahorses, snakes, and snail ointment violate laws and regulations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the treaty on international and illegal trade of endangered plants and animals that was signed in 1973 by 183 nations, plus the European Union, as The Messenger previously reported.
All seized products have been turned over to inspectors with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency that regulates the importation of wildlife to the United States.
- Customer Discovers Live Snake in Bag of Broccoli at Supermarket
- Chinese Vapes Are Being Seized at the US Border — But Surge of Products Threatens to Overwhelm Customs
- Customs Agents Seize $1.2M in Fake Designer Watches at LAX
- US Customs Agency Promises to Stop Buying Your Smartphone Location Data
- Customs Agents Seize 200 Lbs. of Ketamine Worth $1M Found in Thermoses From Sweden
- Customs Officers Seize $38 Million of Methamphetamine Concealed in Kale Shipment
“Though we may consider some animal-based products to be unusual, people in other parts of the world may consider them to be normal,” Christine Waugh, CBP’s acting area port director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., said in the release.
“However, travelers visiting the United States should understand that Customs and Border Protection is committed to protecting our nation’s agricultural industries and enforcing our wildlife and import laws which may result in the seizure of their animal-based products," Waugh added.
- Infant Dies After Arizona Mother Gives Her NyQuil, Melatonin and Leaves Her Alone for Nearly 2 Days: PoliceNews
- Checkers Ordered to Pay Thousands in Back Wages to Overworked Teens Who Were Clocked Out by Managers While Still WorkingNews
- Mystery Surrounds Abandoned 35-Foot Boat Found Washed Ashore at Los Angeles BeachNews
- Watch: ‘Tidy’ Mouse Helps Retired Mailman Keep His Shed Organized and CleanNews
- Epstein Victim Described Intimate Details of Donald Trump’s Alleged Sexual Proclivities — Then Recanted: Court DocsNews
- Florida Teacher Found Dead on Turnpike Possibly Ejected From Moving Vehicle, Police SayNews
- Construction Crew Traps Car Inside Scaffolding After Owner Refused to Move ItNews
- Now You Can Play ‘Trivial Pursuit’ Online With an Infinite Number of AI-Generated QuestionsTech
- Canadian Cannabis Growers Have Destroyed Millions of Pounds of PotBusiness
- Samsung’s ‘Ballie’ Is a Rolling Robot Projector That Can Help Control Your HomeTech
- Cartel Drone Attack Kills Six in Remote Mexican Community: ReportNews
- Soccer Player Struck by Stray Bullet During Match From ‘Freak Hunting Accident’ in Nearby WoodsNews
