U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at John F. Kennedy International Airport recently seized more than 20 pounds of swine meat and 30 containers of edible bird’s nests from a passenger arriving on a flight from China.
On Jan. 4, a passenger declared meat to a CBP agriculture specialist but indicated no other food products. During the subsequent examination the meat was confirmed to be prohibited. In addition, 30 containers of a food product known as “bird’s nests” were discovered. These real bird’s nests are produced around the world as a delicacy for human consumption.
Bird’s nests are prohibited in passenger baggage as they lack the proper documentation and safeguards to insure they do not pose a risk to U.S. agriculture. CBP personnel seized all of the prohibited items and safeguarded them for destruction, as per United States Department of Agriculture guidelines.
Photo Courtesy of CBP
