Customs Agents Seize 83 Pounds Of Beef At MSP Airport

ST. PAUL, MN — Authorities seized 83 pounds of beef when a traveler attempted to bring the meat into the country at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The person arrived last week from South Africa and told a customs officer he wanted to declare beef biltong in his luggage, authorities said. An X-ray of five of the passenger’s bags revealed the massive quantity of curried and dried beef, according to authorities.

The traveler asked officials not to take the meat because it cost more than $2,000, but specialists told him it was restricted due to concerns such as foot and mouth disease and that it would be destroyed, authorities said.

"Our nation's food supply is constantly at risk to diseases not known to occur in the United States,” Augustine Moore, area port director of Minneapolis, said in a news release. “This interception highlights the vigilance and dedication that our CBP Agriculture Specialists demonstrate, daily. They ensure that the United States is safe from harmful diseases that could affect our food supply.”

Travelers who want to import plant and animal materials and other agricultural items should visit help.cbp.gov or call 877-227-5511, and should always declare items acquired abroad to avoid civil or criminal penalties, according to authorities.