Giant, ‘highly invasive’ snail is seized from suitcase at Atlanta airport, feds say
A traveler’s baggage hid vegetables, cow hides — and a “highly invasive” escargot, according to Customs and Border Protection officials.
A K9 with CBP’s “Beagle Brigade” sniffed out the giant gastropod during a security screening at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Tuesday, Nov. 8, the agency said. The live Giant African Snail, considered “one of the most damaging” on earth, was discovered in a suitcase.
“Mox” the beagle alerted agents to the traveler’s bag shortly after they arrived to the U.S. from Nigeria, according to a news release. Agriculture specialists also found illegal goat meat, cow skins, melon seeds and vegetables.
“This was a significant discovery for our agriculture K9 team — a critical component of our nation’s frontline defense against all animal pests that threaten our agricultural resources,” Clay Thomas, area port director for Customs and Border Protection Atlanta, said in a statement.
The Giant African Snail is considered an invasive pest and threat to agriculture, as it feeds on “at least 500” different plant species, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department.
The federally prohibited gastropods also pose a health risk to humans because they carry a parasitic nematode that can cause meningitis, officials said. They’re typically brought into the U.S. as pets or for educational purposes.
They may also arrive by accident via cargo, according to the USDA.
CBP officials seized the snail, and the traveler, who’s a U.S. citizen, was allowed continue her trip, the release said.
This story was originally published November 15, 2022 at 12:06 PM with the headline "Giant, ‘highly invasive’ snail is seized from suitcase at Atlanta airport, feds say."