US Customs and Border Protection officials recently seized 90 giant African snails from a passenger arriving from Ghana at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The discovery was made after agriculture specialists detected an unusual odor from the passenger’s luggage, leading to a secondary inspection.
The passenger had declared fresh food items, including beef skin and fresh peppers, but failed to declare the giant snails. These snails, measuring three to six inches, are considered a delicacy in West Africa but are invasive in the US and pose significant health risks.
They are known to consume over 500 types of plants and can damage structures by eating plaster and stucco for calcium.
The US Department of Agriculture warns that giant African snails can carry the parasite rat lungworm, which can cause meningitis in humans. This incident follows a similar case in 2023 when live giant African snails were found in a suitcase from Ghana at the same airport.