Durban - Border officials at Minneapolis Saint Paul International Airport recently seized just under 50 kg of illegal meat from a passenger arriving from South Africa.
According to the Minnesota-based online news platform, Bring Me The News, on June 14, the South African passenger innocently informed US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials that he wanted to declare the beef biltong he had brought back.
Upon inspection, a CBP officer found that the passenger had brought back 49,8 kg of beef biltong in five bags. The biltong was neatly vacuum-packed and sealed in clear plastic bags.
The man said that the beef cost more than R35,000 and requested that it not be seized. But, unfortunately, the product is restricted due to the risk of animal disease, according to CBP.
As a result, the beef biltong was seized and steam sterilised.
“Our nation's food supply is constantly at risk of diseases not known to occur in the United States,” Augustine Moore, CBP’s area port director in Minneapolis, said in a statement.
“This interception highlights the vigilance and dedication that our CBP Agriculture Specialists demonstrate daily. They ensure that the United States is safe from harmful diseases that could affect our food supply,” he said.
Among the top food items seized by CBP are pork and beef sausages, plants, seeds, and fruit.
During certain holidays, pork and beef seizures are also on the rise.
IOL