Los Angeles International Airport inspectors found and seized 37 giant beetles smuggled inside several packages of Japanese snacks, potato chips, and chocolate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported Feb. 5.
The exotic live insects—4 to 5 inches long and worth nearly $1,500—were shipped from Japan and possibly headed to exotic insect collectors on the black market, according to the agency.
“They may look harmless but in reality, smuggled beetles pose a significant threat to our vital agriculture resources,” said Cheryl Davies, CBP’s director of field operations in Los Angeles, in a statement Wednesday.
“Beetles can become a serious pest by eating plants, leaves, and roots and by laying eggs on tree bark which damages our forests.”…