U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists found 37 giant live beetles stashed inside an air cargo shipment that had arrived in California from Japan.
The packages of potato chips, chocolate and various Japanese snacks that arrived at Los Angeles International Airport last month contained more than just tasty treats. Hidden inside the bundle were insects not fit for consumption, but ideal for exotic beetle enthusiasts. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists found 37 giant live beetles — valued at $1,480 — stashed inside an air cargo shipment that had arrived in California from Japan, authorities said this week.
'They may look harmless but in reality, smuggled beetles pose a significant threat to our vital agriculture resources,' Cheryl M. Davies, the director of field operations in Los Angeles for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said in a news release. 'Beetles can become a serious pest by eating plants, leaves and roots, and by laying eggs on tree bark, which damages our forests.' The U.S.
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