A passenger who arrived at O’Hare Airport last week had packed their suitcase with the trachea, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and entire digestive system of a goat, authorities said.
Two travelers arriving from the Democratic Republic of Congo on Oct. 10 were pulled aside to have their bags inspected, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials said in a news release Tuesday.
Their luggage was checked by agriculture specialists at Customs who are responsible for seizing prohibited items to prevent the spread of livestock diseases and plant pests in the U.S.
“There are real dangers these items can have if they are introduced in the U.S. economy,” said LaFonda D. Sutton-Burke, the director of field operations in Chicago for Customs and Border Protection, in the release. “All passengers, whether entering or returning to the U.S., must be truthful and declare all items they are bringing.”
In addition to 15 pounds of raw goat parts, one of the passengers was also carrying 1 pound of unknown meat and 2 pounds of garden eggs (a type of eggplant). The items were taken and destroyed, and the person was not penalized.
“Items like these can harbor pests and diseases. If introduced into our agriculture systems or natural resources, could cause significant damage to our food supply or native species,” said Michael Pfeiffer, the area port director for Chicago, in the release.
While goat parts are out of the ordinary, Customs agents in Minneapolis last week seized a small box of “giraffe fecal material,” according to the release.
Before traveling with plants, animal parts and other agricultural items, Customs and Border Protection officials recommend consulting the agency’s website for what can and cannot be brought into the U.S. They also say arriving passengers should always declare all items from abroad to Customs to avoid penalties and prevent the spread of pests and diseases.
