Bringing 90 Giant African Snails, Passengers At Detroit Airport Arrested

UNSPLASH/Liana Zalinyan ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - As many as 90 giant African land scouts were seized by the Customs Field Operations office and the United States Border Protection (US) in Detroit from a passenger arriving from Ghana.

The incident occurred on June 30 at Detroit Metropolitan Airport when a large number of liveappropriizers were discovered after a passenger arriving from Ghana was referred for secondary examination after declaring various types of fresh food, according to a statement released by CBP.

During a baggage check, a tied-up and odd-smelling bag caught the attention of agricultural specialists, the statement said.

Inside the bag is a giant African land stroker whose length ranges from 3 to 6 inches. Before the trunk was opened, passengers began to declare other prohibited items, such as cow skin and fresh peppers, but were not mentioned about theappropriation which was considered an invasive species in the US.

The input was then taken and injected dead as a way to ensure they did not enter the ecosystem and caused damage to US agriculture, officials said.

"This input is an invasive species that can have a negative impact on our economy," said acting Port Director John Nowak.

"Our agricultural experts are always wary of dangerous plants, animals and insects," he added.

CBP officials say that although African giant ground practicallys are meant for consumption, they have a greedy appetite and cause great crop damage when they are released into the environment.

"They can also pose a public health threat to humans," the authorities said.

"Siput can grow up to 8 inches and eat a wide variety of plants, including many economically important plants, and cause structural damage by using plaster on the house to meet calcium needs for shell growth," he added.