Woman Arrested At Dallas Airport With Raw Animal Brains In Luggage

Woman Arrested With Raw Animal Brains In Luggage at DFW

Well, certainly there are many stories of people carrying interesting things in their luggage/carry-ons, but this woman that was arrested at Dallas/Forth-Worth Airport kind of brings it to a whole new level.  According to local media, the woman arrived at DFW from Vietnam with raw animal parts in her bag.  The list of parts included, brains, hearts, heads, tongues, and feet.  Pretty nasty, right?

A press release put out on Friday by Customs and Border Protection claims the luggage had 22 pounds of the animal parts in the bag and the woman was taken into custody.

The full CBP release:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport seized various animal parts, organs, and glands from a traveler arriving from Vietnam February 4.

CBP seized 22 pounds of raw pig, chicken, and cow meat, brains, hearts, tongues, heads, and other body parts.  

The prohibited meat was discovered when the traveler, a permanent resident of the U.S., arrived at DFW and was referred for a baggage exam.  She provided a negative customs declaration and during an inspection of her luggage, CBP agriculture specialists discovered the meat inside one of her bags.    

“Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists work diligently to prevent the introduction of diseases into the U.S.” said Dallas CBP Port Director Cleatus Hunt Jr.  “These kinds of meat products are potential carriers for harmful diseases that could result in devastating effects on our agriculture industry.”  

On a typical day, CBP seizes approximately 4,638 prohibited plant materials and/or animal products on a typical day.  There are restrictions on meat and meat products that travelers may bring to the U.S. as they could carry diseases. 

The seized items were destroyed by steam sterilization. 

Lesson, don’t bring meat, and particularly raw meat, back into the U.S. from abroad.  Furthermore, if you feel that you must, make sure you declare it on your form when bringing it back!