Giant Snails Found In Bag Of Man Arriving At JFK, Officials Say

JAMAICA, QUEENS — A bag full of giant snails that can carry a parasite that causes meningitis was found by customs agents checking the luggage of an arrival at JFK Airport this week, officials said.

The 22 Giant African Snails, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture has classified as “one of the most damaging snails in the world” because of their appetite for at least 500 types of plants, were found during a baggage examination involving an American man who arrived on a flight from Ghana.

Inspectors also found 24 pounds of other prohibited items including meat and medicinal spices, officials said.

The highly invasive snails damage many plants and can even eat through homes. In 2011, the snails caused massive damage to buildings in Miami, reported NPR.

“Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists are our nation’s frontline defenders against invasive plant and animal pests that threaten our agricultural resources, and they face this complex and challenging mission with extraordinary commitment and vigilance,” said Marty C. Raybon, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP’s New York Field Office.

While the snails are of particular concern, agricultural specialists at the airport are used to seizing prohibited animal and agricultural items at the border: In a typical day last year agents across the country found 3,091 kinds or prohibited “plant, meat, animal byproducts, and soil” as well as 250 insect pests, officials said.

The snails have been handed over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or or the USDA Veterinary Services, officials said.