It seems like a lie, but it really happened! Recently, a woman was stopped with giraffe droppings at customs at Minneapolis International Airport in the US. According to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), she arrived from Kenya, where she picked up the material. However, the unusual reason surprised the authorities: she wanted to make a necklace! The case was registered on September 29 and published this Thursday (5).
The passenger reported the feces upon her arrival in North American territory. When questioned by customs agricultural experts, the passenger said she had bought the droppings and wanted to “make a necklace” out of them. She also revealed that she had previously used moose poop to decorate her home in Iowa State.
In the statement, CBP Director LaFonda D. SuttonBurke warned the public of the “real dangers” of the act. “There is a real danger in bringing feces into the United States. If this person had entered the United States and not declared these items, there is a high possibility that they would have contracted an illness and developed serious health problems as a result of these jewelry items,” he explained.
Woman tried to enter with giraffe droppings. (Photo: Disclosure/US Customs and Border Protection)
The passenger is not accused of bringing feces into the country because she disclosed what was in her luggage and handed the box over to customs officials. If she had tried to hide the material and been discovered, she would have been fined between $300 and $1,000. Feces were destroyed by steam sterilization in accordance with all United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) destruction protocols.
“CBP agriculture experts mitigate the threat of nonnative pests, diseases and contaminants entering the United States. They have extensive training and experience in the biological and agricultural sciences and inspect travelers and cargo arriving through air, land and sea ports,” said Augustine Moore, CBP port director in Minnesota.
Ruminant feces require a veterinary permit to enter North American soil. Meanwhile, the agency reiterated that Kenya is affected by African swine fever, classical swine fever, Newcastle disease, foot and mouth disease and cold sores.