Last Tuesday, agriculture specialists at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago unveiled the disconcerting discovery of 15 pounds of raw goat organs within the luggage of travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The luggage also contained one pound of unidentified meat and two pounds of garden eggs (a variety of eggplant), as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, acting director of field operations in Chicago for Customs and Border Protection (CBP), warned of the dire consequences of such items entering into the U.S. market, as they could to spread livestock diseases and plant pests.
Although a peculiar case, the finding of the goat entrails draws attention to the more widespread issue of travelers disregarding customs regulations around agricultural items. CBP agriculture specialists work diligently to prevent the entrance of banned items that pose serious threats to the nation's food supply and environment. As such, travelers who ignore these regulations burden customs agents who already screen vast quantities of fruits, vegetables, and plants daily, as noted by The Messenger.
The CBP underscores the need for passengers to remain up-to-date on items that are and are not permissible to bring into the U.S. before their journeys commence. Adhering to this information can significantly strengthen customs enforcement process.
