Bag of tiny dead birds seized from passenger arriving in US from China

STERLING, Va. (KRON) – A bag of dead birds was seized from the luggage of a passenger traveling from China to Washington, D.C.,  according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In a statement, U.S. Customs officials said the package of dead birds was seized at Dulles International Airport on Jan. 27 from a passenger arriving from Beijing.

The passenger told officials the birds were cat food and that he was planning to bring them to Maryland after his flight.

CBP reinforces that birds from China are prohibited for import into the U.S. due to the possible spread of bird flu.

According to authorities, the birds were “destroyed by incineration” with approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

During a typical day last year, CBP agriculture specialists nationwide seized nearly 5,000 prohibited plants, meat, animal byproducts and soil, and intercepted 314 insect pests at U.S. ports of entry.