LOUISVILLE, Ky— U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists (CBPAS)at the Louisville Port of Entry intercepted a shipment containing 41 dead bats and 41 dead birds not declared in hopes of avoiding detection.
On November 1, Agriculture Specialists stopped a shipment from Nigeria heading to a residence in West Palm Beach, Florida. The shipment was manifested as “Yam Flour Sponge”. A physical examination by CBPAS yielded 41 dead bats and 41 dead birds. The shipment was referred to the CDC for adjudication which ordered the shipment to be destroyed. Local US Fish & Wildlife identified the bats as Straw Colored Fruit Bats (Eidolon helvum) and Village Weavers (Ploceus cucullatus).
“Louisville’s CBP Agriculture Specialists are focused on their mission to prevent entry of prohibited items from entering the United States,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, Director, Field Operations, Chicago Field Office. “These seizures clearly show how critical their role is in preventing diseases from entering the United States.”
Bats are known carriers of infectious biological agents such as Ebola, Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever, Sudden Acute Severe Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and rabies, while dead birds have the potential for introducing diseases such as Newcastle disease and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) which are both highly contagious diseases among avians.
“CBP’s agriculture specialists mitigate the threat of non-native pests, diseases, and contaminants entering the United States,” said Philip Onken, Port Director, Louisville. “CBP agriculture specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agricultural inspections, inspecting tens of thousands of international passengers and cargo shipments at our air, land and sea ports of entry.”
CBP's border security mission is led at our nation’s Ports of Entry by CBP officers and Agriculture Specialists from the Office of Field Operations. CBP screens international travelers and cargo and searches for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, invasive weeds and pests, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.
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