Boxes also contained over 100 lbs of prohibited agriculture items
HOUSTON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport cargo facility intercepted a shipment of restricted and prohibited items including a canine skull, a sheep skull, various other bones, unknown mammal skins, cowrie shells, and tubs of unidentified black paste presumed to be homemade soap with possible animal origin ingredients.
from a shipment manifested as clothing.
The shipment that originated in Nigeria and destined for Houston was manifested as clothing items.
“This interception is indicative of our commitment to protecting the nation’s agriculture industry from the introduction of harmful exotic pests and foreign animal and plant diseases,” said CBP Port Director Shawn Polley.
intercepted in a shipment from Nigeria.
Aside from the animal products, which are regulated by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this shipment also contained 72 pounds of fresh wood chips, 33 pounds of melon seeds, four different seeds for planting and a melon all of which are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized the skulls, bones, skins and shells and CBP destroyed the other prohibited items.
On a typical day in fiscal year 2019, CBP agriculture specialists around the nation intercepted 314 pests, and prevented 4,695 restricted or prohibited plant, meat, animal byproduct, and soil materials from entering the country.
The U.S. prohibits or restricts certain agriculture products from entry because those products may carry plant pests and foreign animal disease. To avoid the seizure of agriculture items, follow this guidance on bringing agriculture items to the U.S.