3 dozen live beetles disguised as Japanese snacks seized at LAX

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized 37 unrecorded beetles hidden successful packages of Japanese snacks astatine Los Angeles International Airport past month, authorities said Wednesday.

The bootleg bugs — placed successful integrative bottles, solid jars and different containers, past concealed successful packages of chocolate, chips and different snacks — were discovered during an inspection of a cargo shipment from Japan.

The elephantine unrecorded beetles measured 4 to 5 inches long. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

The full worth of the contraband was conscionable nether $1,500. The CBP said collectors often commercialized exotic insects, and tin marque a hefty nett illegally selling the bugs online and via underground sources.

The unrecorded beetles were concealed wrong of aggregate packages of Japanese snacks, murphy chips, and chocolate.(U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

“They whitethorn look harmless but successful reality, smuggled beetles airs a important menace to our captious agriculture resources,” said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations successful Los Angeles. “Beetles tin go a superior pest by eating plants, leaves and roots and by laying eggs connected histrion bark which damages our forests.”

The creatures were turned implicit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and volition apt beryllium donated to zoos successful the L.A. country that person permits for unrecorded insects.