STERLING, Va. -– Two non-indigenous beetle were discovered inside mangoes on a flight from Ethiopia that arrived at Dulles International Airport Friday morning, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
All 125 passengers on Ethiopian Airways Flight 500 were referred for inspection, and agricultural specialists seized 40 pounds of dried beef and pork and produce that included mangoes, bananas, oranges, apples, fresh peppers, garden eggs and fresh leaves, according to CBP. Inside the mangoes, the specialists discovered an adult coleoptera and an immature coleoptera.
"Introducing non-indigenous insect species, even if accidental, may have severe consequences on our nation's vital crops, our farming industry and our economy," said Christopher Hess, CBP Port Director for the Port of Washington. "Protecting America’s agriculture is an important mission, one that our agriculture specialists take very seriously."
CBP conducts random inspections of flights from various nations in order to prevent risky agriculture products from entering the country.
"Travelers need to be aware of what items they can and can’t bring to America, and our CBP travel Web site is a great resource to assist them," Hess said.
