Abigail Shimniok

A K9 officer found the remains of four mummified monkey remains in a traveler’s luggage at the Boston Logan International Airport on Feb. 8. The individual was returning to the U.S. from a trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement that, “Upon arrival of foreign flights to Logan Airport, CBP Canine (K9) units will perform a preliminary screening of baggage. During the screening of Delta Flight 225 from Paris, CBP K9 Buddey alerted his handler to a specific piece of luggage.”
The passenger declared that it only held dried fish. The luggage was x-rayed and appeared to hold dried fish, though upon physical inspection, the officer identified the dead and dehydrated bodies of four monkeys.
The luggage contained approximately eight pounds of raw monkey meat, also known as bushmeat. These types of meats carry a risk of communicable disease and thus are not allowed entry into the U.S.
U.S. Customs contacted the Center for Disease Control. The CDC requested that the luggage containing the bushmeat be seized and that Delta Airlines either destroy or return the bags to France. The bushmeat was apprehended and marked for destruction.
“The potential dangers posed by bringing bushmeat into the United States are real,” said Julio Caravia, the Area Port Director of Boston’s CBP. “Bushmeat can carry germs that can cause illness, including the Ebola virus. The work of CBP’s K9 unit and Agricultural Specialist were vital in preventing this potential danger from entering the U.S.”