Mummified monkeys found in passenger’s luggage were for personal consumption

BOSTON (AP) — A US Customs and Border Protection dog sniffed out something unusual in luggage from a traveler returning from Africa – mummified monkeys.

The passenger returning from a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo reported that the luggage contained dried fish, but an inspection at Boston Logan Airport revealed dead and dehydrated bodies of four monkeys, agents said.

The traveler said he brought the monkeys into the United States for his own consumption, Ryan Bissette, a Customs and Border Protection, spokesperson said.

Raw or minimally processed meat from wild animals, sometimes referred to as "bushmeat", is banned in the US because of the threat of disease.

"The potential dangers posed by bringing bushmeat into the United States are real. Bushmeat can carry germs that can cause illness, including the Ebola virus," said Julio Caravia, local port director for Customs and Border Protection.

The incident happened last month but was made public last week.

Bissette said that no charges were filed but all of the luggage was seized and the nearly nine pounds (4 kilograms) of bushmeat were marked for destruction by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.