K9 sniffs out mummified monkey remains imported illegally in luggage at airport

BOSTON — A United States Customs and Border Protection K9 made quite a discovery at the beginning of January at Logan International Airport in Boston.

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A person attempted to illegally bring four “deceased and dehydrated monkeys” into the country at Logan Airport on Jan. 8, according to the CBP. The person had brought them after visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo.

A CBP K9 named Buddey alerted his handler about the luggage on Delta Flight 225 from Paris, according to WFXT. When foreign flights arrive at Logan Airport, K9s assist with screening luggage.

CBP officers questioned the person about the luggage and they allegedly told them it was dried fish, according to the news outlet. When it was inspected, border agents found what was identified as deceased and mummified monkeys. Their bodies are considered “bushmeat.”

Bushmeat comes from many different wild animals like bats, monkeys, grasscutters and antelope, the CBP said. They pose a possible risk for disease and are not allowed into the U.S.

The CBP said it contacted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC requested that the luggage with the bushmeat be seized. They said Delta Airlines could return the bags to France or destroy them. About four kilograms of the bushmeat was detained by the CDC.

“The potential dangers posed by bringing bushmeat into the United States are real,” said Julio Caravia, Area Port Director – CBP Boston. “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.”

The person who had the monkeys in their luggage has not been identified, WFXT. Information about charges are unclear.

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