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.
The traveler, a Ghanaian national, said the snails were for eating, according to a news statement from the U.S. CBP.
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.
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.
“Our CBP officers and agriculture specialists work diligently to target, detect, and intercept potential threats before they have a chance to do harm to U.S. interests,” Port Director Robert Larkin said.
