“Insect Larvae Discovered in Package at New York Airport”

The customs agents of the Airport New York John F. Kennedy International inspected a package when they discovered hundreds of insect larvae hidden in a batch of plastic from Kenyaauthorities reported in a announcement aired last Thursday.

The discovery occurred on May 3, according to the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The shipment of artificial flowers had 630 live insect larvae, from that country in Africa, for which it was seized.

The agency’s agriculture specialists made the decision to withhold the flowers to “prevent the spread of pests.” Although CBP released an image showing the larvae, he did not specify to which species of insect they belonged. With this filter they avoided putting US agriculture at risk, as detailed in their message: “Although many are tiny and seem innocuous, pests can slow down world trade and destabilize our national economy and food supply. A single pest can cause millions of dollars in damage.”

Some passengers pack prohibited items and try to bring them through US airports, so the filter is essential to detect them and contain a possible risk. In the statement, the customs agents specified that, on a normal day, discover some 240 pests in the United States and seize 2,677 prohibited agricultural items.

This is not the first time that flowers have an unexpected ‘tenant’. In February, the agency reported that it had discovered a pest in a batch of fresh flowers from Mexico. When they inspected them closely, they found that they had a black insect, known as Corimelaena palmeri, that he had never entered the US, according to official records.

Animal trafficking is also punishable, especially in the case of exotic or endangered species. Due to their size, they are much easier to detect than insects, so agents have to sharpen their senses and their filters. In March 2022, they found a beetle in the passenger cabin of an aircraft arriving in Puerto Rico from Senegal.

Animal problems are not unique to the United States. In the middle of this month, customs officers at Chennai airport seized 22 snakes and a chameleon in the luggage of a passenger who had arrived in India from Kuala Lumpur. The staff shared different photos and videos showing the reptiles packed in plastic containers, sealed with duct tape.

The officials reported that among the species the passenger was carrying in her checked bag were some in high demand in the illegal wildlife trade in India. Although internationally this finding caused a wide media repercussion, their seizures at Asian airports are frequent. On that occasion the Indian Wildlife Protection Act was enforced.

THE NATION