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This season, U.S. airports aren't just busy with travelers. They're busy with illegal meat busts, too.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport recently uncovered a monkey carcass and illegal meat during separate X-ray examinations.
The carcass belonged to a traveler from Cameroon, who packaged the primate in the traveler's luggage.
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"Due to significant human health concerns, the monkey remains were detained by CBP and destroyed in accordance with partner governing agency directives," the agency said.
It wasn't the only concerning find from the region. Another traveler from Liberia tried to sneak in "ruminant meat" identified as beef.
Federal authorities say recent inspections uncovered illegal animal products in travelers' luggage (not pictured), raising concerns about disease risks entering the United States. (iStock)
"CBP agriculture specialists inspected eight boxes within the traveler's baggage and discovered meat, bones and hair concealed in dried seafood," officials said in a statement.
"The traveler admitted that the concealed meat was beef."
While seafood is generally admissible, certain meats are banned due to disease risks in their countries of origin, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease) and foot-and-mouth disease, according to CBP.
"I feel for the customs agents who came across that mess."
CBP said 125 pounds of the meat was seized, in addition to a pound of prohibited fresh leaves and "four types of prohibited seeds for planting" from the Liberian traveler's baggage.
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The monkey carcass in particular riled up social media users on X.
"Sounds like they are trying to start the next pandemic," one person observed.
CBP agriculture specialists continue to seize banned food items at airports, underscoring strict regulations aimed at protecting public health and agriculture. (iStock)
"Bush meat, the breakfast of champions," another quipped.
A third user wrote, "I feel for the customs agents who came across that mess."
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Carlos C. Martel, director of field operations in Florida, announced Wednesday that over 44 pounds of prohibited meat was recently intercepted at Miami International Airport.
A picture of the haul shows several "salsicha" hot dogs stacked on a stainless steel inspection table. The prohibited meat came from Brazil.
"We relish the inspection process!" Martel's pun-filled X post said.
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"In a wurst-case scenario, we discover[ed] something that could hurt our natural resources," he wrote.
More than 44 pounds of prohibited meat products from Brazil were recently intercepted at Miami International Airport. (@DFOFlorida via X)
Michael Pfeiffer, Chicago's acting CBP director of field operations, said in a statement that his agency helps "mitigate the threat of non-native plants and pests, plant and animal diseases and other potential contaminants" entering the United States.
"The sheer volume of prohibited items our specialists intercept daily demonstrates how they play an essential and critical role in preventing plant and animal diseases from entering the United States," he said.
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Fox News Digital reached out to CBP for further comment.
Andrea Margolis is a lifestyle writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can follow her on X at @andreamargs or send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com.
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