Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the John F. Kennedy International Mail Facility (IMF) found themselves paraphrasing Indiana Jones last month as they found a slithering surprise while examining the incoming mail.
On June 29, CBP officers who were assigned to the IMF were examining a piece of express mail that arrived to JFK from Hong Kong, China. The package’s contents were described as “plastic tray,” but when the package went through the x-ray, there appeared to be snakes in the container inside.
CBP called the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to inspect the package. The outer box was opened, revealing a styrofoam case with holes in it. When FSW fully opened the package, they found five juvenile King Cobras and three geckos inside.
Upon this discovery, CBP seized the package and handed it over to FWS for further investigation.
“Our CBP officers perform numerous daily tasks to protect the United States from potential dangers,” said Leon Hayward, Acting Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations in a statement on July 11. “This seizure demonstrates our wide ranging responsibility in protecting our borders and our partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
