Real pests among a shipment of plastic flowers
On 3 May 2023, US Customs and Border Protection Agriculture Specialists inspected a parcel at the JFK IMF and found 630 live insect larvae concealed within a shipment of artificial flowers from Kenya. The shipment was seized for violating USDA regulations.
The shipment was safeguarded under CBPAS supervision to prevent the spread of the pests. To date, almost 28,000 prohibited agriculture items have been seized and 4,500 pests have been discovered in air cargo by CBPAS at JFK.
“This latest interception highlights the vigilance and dedication to duty that our CBP Agriculture Specialists demonstrate daily. By doing so, they ensure that the United States is safe from harmful pests entering our country that could potentially cause grave damage to our agricultural and economic vitality,” said Francis J. Russo, director, field operations, New York field office. (cj)