U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized 37 live beetles hidden in packages of Japanese snacks at Los Angeles International Airport last month, authorities said Wednesday.
The bootleg bugs — placed in plastic bottles, glass jars and other containers, then concealed in packages of chocolate, chips and other snacks — were discovered during an inspection of a cargo shipment from Japan.
The total value of the contraband was just under $1,500. The CBP said collectors often trade exotic insects, and can make a hefty profit illegally selling the bugs online and via underground sources.
“They may look harmless but in reality, smuggled beetles pose a significant threat to our vital agriculture resources,” said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “Beetles can become a serious pest by eating plants, leaves and roots and by laying eggs on tree bark which damages our forests.”
The creatures were turned over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and will likely be donated to zoos in the L.A. area that have permits for live insects.