Dennis RomeroPeople must think L.A. is a crazy place, because they're trying to send us (or smuggle in) some strange and, authorities say, illicit things.
And we're not just talking about Octomom's fan mail, either. No, in the span of less than a week this month federal customs officials say they seized elephant meat, a dead primate, and hundreds of snake, lizard and crocodile-skin handbags at LAX:
The finds started May 6 with 387 purses fashioned from prohibited and protected species including 98 made of African rock pythons, 19 made of monitor lizards, 85 made of dwarf crocodiles, 179 made of cobras and 6 made of puff adder snakes, according to an announcement today from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Credit: Elephant meat via CBP
That discovery was made as authorities conducted a baggage inspect of a 31-year-old passenger, according to the CBP.
Then, on May 9, officials at LAX found nearly a half pound of endangered, Thai elephant meat (!?) destined for Fresno, the CBP stated.
Finally, on May 10, authorities seized a dead Macaque primate from Indonesia, the CBP stated. The prohibited carcass was headed for North Port, Florida, according to customs officials.
It had been “declared as a gift,” the CBP stated.
Credit: Handbags via CBP
The seized items were turned over to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials, the CBP says. CBP director of field operations in Los Angeles Todd C. Owen called the finds part of a string of “remarkable items” authorities discover at LAX.
And that's not counting the paparazzi.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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