Biosecurity

Virginia CBP Seizes Dead Birds In Passenger’s Baggage From China

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) specialists recently seized a package of tiny dead birds — yes, you read that correctly — in a passenger’s baggage at Dulles International Airport.

According to officials, the traveler arrived on a flight from Beijing, China on Jan. 27, 2020 where the traveler’s final destination was to a residence in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

During a baggage examination, CBP specialists discovered a package with pictures of a cat and dog that the passenger said was ‘cat food.’ The package, according to officials, contained a bunch of unknown small birds, about 2.5 to 3.5 inches in length.

The birds from China, according to CBP officials, are prohibited for import due to the potential threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The avian products were seized on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and destroyed by incineration, with USDA approval.