The customs forms for 1,966 cartons said they were nail clippers and pet grooming supplies. Anyone who opened up the cartons were supposed to just be scared off by the preserved rattlesnakes inside, I guess, though it seems like that would be at least a paperwork violation once found.
Hidden inside – the rattlesnakes were just a decoy – were duck intestines from China. The smugglers also were bringing in duck blood and illegal Hawthorn berries. Raw poultry products from China are banned, and Chinese hawthorn fruit is restricted. Six people have been arrested.
Credit: US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York
Even more interesting is that the goods came into the Port of Long Beach from China and were shipped domestically from Los Angeles to New York JFK on a major U.S. airline, although the federal government isn’t identifying which one. JetBlue, American and Delta all fly the route. However since only Delta flies widebody aircraft (Boeing 767s) on the route they’re the most likely.
Have you ever failed to properly declare forbidden items when entering a country?
(HT: Paul H.)
This is really just a byproduct of ridiculous bans on bringing in delicacies people want. Somehow millions and millions of aliens being trafficked leads to gift cards and housing but people who want food from home get harassed. Biological safety has nothing to do with it. We all know that. Stopping beef products from certain countries because of BSE makes sense. This is ridiculous. The government justifies itself by being ridiculous.
Asking for a friend – can’t you buy duck intestines in the USA?
@David Arnett:
> Biological safety has nothing to do with it. We all know that. Stopping beef products from certain countries because of BSE makes sense.
And how do you know that there’s no biosafety issue here? They have long been aggressive about anything bird. Bird flu can spread, BSE isn’t really a factor because it’s only a problem for the person who consumes it, person to person infection is extremely limited.
Whenever i smuggle duck intestines i put them in my underwear. It also protects against scorpion bites and pickpocketers.
As someone who’s been in the food safety industry for 35 years, there are perfectly valid reasons for restrictions on those items, mostly due to the lower standards that many countries apply to their items. Duck intestines are defined as being inedible at every slaughter facility in the US and Canada, so you can’t buy them. Hawthorn berries are toxic. Biosecurity is taken very seriously in the US and beyond seriously in Canada.
Most likely premium products.