U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport seized four pounds of nonhuman primate meat from a passenger believed to be travelling from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The meat, which appeared to come from a small monkey, was found alongside 11 pounds of pest-infested beans and 17 pounds of unidentified plant material in the traveller’s luggage.
According to CBP, the passenger thought it was acceptable to bring these items into the United States.
“All of the items were prohibited, seized, and destroyed, and the traveler was issued a fine,” CBP said in a statement on X.
“O’Hare Agriculture Specialists found 11lbs of beans with pests, 17lbs of unknown plants, and 4lbs of nonhuman primate meat. These items are prohibited, seized, and destroyed.”
No arrests were made.
U.S. law bans “bush meat”, meat from wild animals such as monkeys, bats, and rodents, to protect public health.
Agencies like the CDC and USDA strictly enforce this ban because these products can carry deadly viruses and dangerous germs, including Ebola.
This is not the first such incident this year.
In August, CBP officers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport confiscated 52 pounds of primate meat from a traveler arriving from Gabon.
That passenger was fined Sh38,685 (approximately $300).
The O’Hare seizure drew a variety of reactions on social media.
Some users joked about the situation, while others speculated about possible ritual uses for the items.
Zero HP Lovecraft wrote on X, “I love authentic African food.”
Datone Brawd added, “I know a witches list of ingredients when I see one,” and Melony on Instagram commented, “Nah they weren’t going to eat that. It looks like some binding ritual or voodoo.”