A Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture detector played a key role in discovering nearly 100 pounds of prohibited items in luggage arriving from Thailand. The discovery included meat, plants, and wildlife products.
K9 Maisy, the dedicated detector dog, alerted officers to the suspicious suitcase. Inside, they found 50 pounds of meat, including raw meat, 33 pounds of mangoes, garlic, bamboo, banana plants, and about 16 pounds of Bengal monitor lizard. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service took custody of the lizard.
Wouldn’t you be happy to discover all this in a suitcase?
CBP shared a photo of Maisy posing with the haul, conveying their satisfaction with the find.
CBP agriculture specialists regularly inspect luggage to prevent the introduction of pests, animal diseases, or invasive species into the U.S.
In a separate incident, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) collaborated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to inspect a vehicle at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. They discovered about 436 fish, including rockfish, lingcod, sheephead, and yellowtail.
The vehicle’s occupants did not possess valid Mexican fishing licenses. Officials determined that they intended to sell the fish in the U.S.
CDFW seized the catch as evidence and is pursuing charges related to the illegal take of fish in Mexico, fishing without valid licenses, and illegal importation into the U.S.