Two travellers were stopped at US Customs and Border Protection when a goat’s entire digestive system was found in their suitcase.
The pair were en route back to Chicago O’Hare International Airport from the Democratic Republic of Congo when 15 pounds of raw goat viscera was discovered.
This included the trachea, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and the entire digestive system.
Customs officers also uncovered a pound of unknown meat and two pounds of garden eggs, also known as African eggplants.
LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, US CBP director of field operations at the Chicago field office, said in a statement: “There are real dangers these items can have if they are introduced in the US economy.
“All passengers, whether entering or returning to the US must be truthful and declare all items they are bringing.
“If one prohibited item enters the US, it could have dangerous ecological or economical results.”
The luggage was seized and destroyed “to keep livestock diseases and plant pests out of the United States,” according to CBP.
Customs agents intercept a large number of of banned items from coming into the US including fruits, vegetables, plants and other items.
Michael Pfeiffer, area port director in Chicago, said in the CBP statement: “Items like these can harbor pests and diseases; if introduced into our agriculture systems or natural resources, [they] could cause significant damage to our food supply or native species.
“Our agriculture specialists are dedicated to protecting these essential American resources from foreign pests and diseases.”
It comes just a week after more than $ 10 million worth of meth was seized Saturday at the US-Mexico border.
According to a release from CBP, a tractor trailer traveling across the Pharr International Bridge carried a shipment of jalapeno peppers to the port of entry.
Officers discovered the shipment which contained approximately 9,426 packages of alleged methamphetamine hidden inside 72 buckets, totaling at 1,205 pounds.
Carlos Rodriguez, Port Director for Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry said: “Our CBP officers continue to stop massive amounts of narcotics at our cargo facility, all while facilitating lawful trade entering the country.”
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