America First
Six Destructive Giant African Snails From Ghana Found By Customs In Detroit Passenger’s Luggage
Six Giant African Snails, an invasive species in the US, were seized on March 9 by agriculture specialists at US Customs and Border Protection at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport after being taken from a Ghana traveler’s suitcase.
According to the Detroit News, Port Director Robert Larkin said in a press release, “Our CBP officers and agriculture specialists work diligently to target, detect, and intercept potential threats before they have a chance to do harm to US interests. The discovery of this highly invasive pest truly benefits the health and well-being of the American people.”
In Ghana, the snails are often enjoyed as pets and also eaten as food.
According to the National Invasive Species Information Center, Giant African Snails “attacks and feeds on hundreds of different plant species.”
The giant gastropod mollusk is a fast breeder and makes around 1,200 eggs a year and is considered to be one of the most damaging pests universally. The creatures can eat over 500 varieties of plantlife. They can also consume stucco and plaster. They can transmit meningitis to humans and parasites such as nematode, lungworm, and salmonella.
According to the US Department of Agriculture they were discovered in the 1960s in Florida and it later took over $1 million and 10 years to end their reign of panic in the Sunshine State.
The creatures are a hazard to Caribbean and Hawaii, according to the USDA.
“It is not uncommon for travelers to bring food items from their native countries, which underscores the importance of the inspection process upon arrival to U.S. ports of entry,” Customs and Border Protection spokesman Steven Bansbach said. “This allows CBP officers and agriculture specialists the opportunity to determine whether these goods are permissible or not, while mitigating the potential for public health or environmental issues.”