A Ghanaian man was caught in a US airport for attempting to smuggle six snails

At Detroit Metropolitan Airport on March 9, 2023, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered six Giant African Land Snails in a passenger’s bag.

Agents from CBP seized the mollusks right away because they pose a serious threat to the environment and public health.

enormous African land Almost 500 different plant species, including plaster and stucco, are known to be consumed by snails, which can reach a length of eight inches. In addition, the snails harbor a parasite that can cause meningitis in people and can lay up to 1,200 eggs a year.

The instance demonstrated the value of stringent inspection procedures for commodities coming at US ports of entry, even though the passenger was freed without further action.

Travelers frequently bring food items from home, which emphasizes the significance of the inspection procedure upon arrival at U.S. ports of entry, according to Customs and Border Protection spokesman Steven Bansbach.

“This minimizes the possibility of public health or environmental hazards while giving CBP officers and agriculture specialists the opportunity to decide whether these items are allowed or not.”

According to Port Director Robert Larkin, CBP agents and agriculture specialists put up a lot of effort to identify potential dangers and guard against harm to American interests. In Michigan and the rest of the country, giant African land snails are not allowed.

Port Director Robert Larkin stated that “our CBP agents and agriculture specialists work carefully to target, discover, and intercept possible threats before they have an opportunity to harm U.S. interests.