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Customs agents seize illegal imports at Dulles Airport
Several international travelers got a lesson in what you can and can't bring into the United States last week.
On Nov. 13, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized a shipment of collagen that a woman traveling from South Korea tried to bring into the country, said CBP spokesman Steve Sapp.
Then, on Nov. 14, Sapp said CBP officers seized 12 prohibited agricultural items after inspecting the luggage of the 125 passengers on Ethiopian Airways Flight 500.
Those items included seven seizures of dried beef and pork weighing a combined 40 pounds, and five seizures of mangoes, bananas, oranges, apples, fresh peppers, small African eggplants and fresh leaves.
In the collagen incident, the woman arrived on a Korean Airlines flight at about 10 a.m. While inspecting her luggage, agents found 59 hypodermic needles and a jar containing about 10 fluid ounces of collagen, Sapp said.
He said the woman said she was planning on dispensing the collagen to friends in the area for cosmetic purposes. Agents contacted the Food and Drug Administration to pick up the collagen. The woman was sent back to South Korea.
“CBP officers and agriculture specialists at Dulles have seized some rather interesting items over the years, but I think this collagen is a first for many of us,” said CBP's Christopher Hess, director of the Port of Washington.
While cutting up the mangoes in the agricultural seizure, CBP specialists found beetles, Sapp said.
“Introducing non-indigenous insect species, even if accidental, may have severe consequences on our nation’s vital crops, our farming industry and our economy,” Hess said. “Protecting America’s agriculture is an important mission, one that our agriculture specialists take very seriously.”
Great story, Jana. Very well written.
Posted by S_Gmacdonald
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