The United States Customs and Border Protection(CBP), has intercepted 90 giant African snails from a Ghanaian at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
In a press statement dated, Tuesday, July 16, the officials indicated that an “odd odour” coming from a passenger’s bag tipped off agriculture specialists.
“The passenger, who was arriving from the West African country of Ghana, was stopped for secondary investigation after declaring fresh food items.
“Before opening the bag, the passenger declared other prohibited items, including beef skin and fresh peppers, but made no mention of the giant snails,” officials said.
The African snails, ranging from three to six inches long, were subsequently seized, according to customs agents, who believed the snails were intended to be eaten.
“The slimy gastropods can grow up to 8 inches and are considered an invasive species that could negatively impact our economy,” said acting Port Director John Nowak, according to the Tuesday release.
Giant African Land Snails are known to eat over 500 different types of plants, including plaster and stucco, and can grow up to eight inches in length. The snails also carry a parasite that can cause meningitis in humans and produce up to 1,200 eggs annually.
It will be recalled that on March 9, 2023, the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at Detroit Metropolitan Airport also intercepted six Giant African Land Snails in a passenger’s luggage.
The U.S. CBP in a press release said the passenger, a Ghanaian national, claimed the snails were for consumption.
The molluscs were immediately seized by CBP agents as they posed a significant risk to public health and the environment.