Common Environmental Threats Found In MI Airport Luggage

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are discovering items in passenger luggage that pose a threat to the environment and public health.

I thought most U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were focused on finding drugs, guns, knives, bombs, and people trying to sneak into or out of the country. They look for much more than that when searching luggage at airports.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are on America's front lines of national security. CBP agents are responsible for protecting against threats, preventing illegal entry, intercepting illicit drugs and weapons, and securing our borders against terrorism.

CBP agents also have to safeguard the nation by preventing diseases from entering, ensuring agricultural safety, and enforcing U.S. immigration and customs laws. I didn’t realize they also inspect exotic fruits and vegetables for seeds intended for growing crops.

Read More: $32M in Cocaine Seized at Michigan-Canada Border

Environmental Threats Regularly Found In Luggage at Michigan Airport

According to WXYZ TV, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at Detroit Metro Airport operate a lab where they inspect fruits, vegetables, flowers, seeds, and other items for insects that could be invasive or harmful to Michigan's environment.

Agents look for insects such as the khapra beetle and Asian longhorn beetle, and they recently found preserved bats that a passenger attempted to smuggle as bushmeat from Africa.

Finding insects that could destroy our agriculture or other items that could potentially cause a disease outbreak is a major priority for CBP agents. Passengers are even caught bringing in mislabeled packages filled with items that are illegal to bring into the U.S.

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The confiscated items are destroyed and discarded as waste, and agents do not take any of the seized items home. You can find out what foods are legal to travel with by clicking here.

👇BELOW: Michigan Airports Forbid You From Checking These 25 Items👇