Leo Gillick
It’s always a good idea to check what is and isn’t allowed through customs when travelling abroad. Numerous people have been caught trying to smuggle primate and rodent meat across the border in their luggage at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
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Meat such as non-human primates, rodents, bats, and other wild animals is known as Bush Meat. Generally, it is illegal to transport it across borders without prior authorization. Filling luggage with rodent and primate meat is certainly not allowed.
These meats are prone to carrying disease, and introducing them to new countries can quickly spark an outbreak. To try to curb the transmission of disease across borders, bush meat is carefully controlled and regulated.
But the Detroit Metropolitan Airport has had two cases of luggage filled with bush meat, including rodent and primate, in just a week.
The CBP is Having A Field Day
According to their reports, two loads of luggage containing the meat were recovered. The first load was attempting to smuggle 11 pounds of rodent meat from Togo. And, the second was hoping to transport 52 pounds of primate meat in a bag from Gabon.
As well as the disgusting meat in their luggage, the travellers also had numerous other undeclared agricultural items. Both were fined $300 for their smuggling attempts.
Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon says that, typically, the luggage finds aren’t usually a criminal effort. “We routinely find various agriculture items and oddities—live giant snails, animal skulls, and exotic food items—but most times it’s not a malicious act.”
For many, their pets, foods, and trinkets from home are something people want to keep with them. But transporting these items, such as the meat, in luggage can pose a threat to the environment. Controlling these various items is more about protecting people rather than just being unjustly strict.
There have been many cases of invasive species being introduced to environments that can cause incredible damage. Even now, the Everglades of Florida are overrun by enormous Burmese Pythons. With things like bush meat in luggage, the effects could be devastating, sparking outbreaks of disease in communities.
