US Customs and Border ProtectionAFP
Dozens of giant beetles hidden inside a shipment of Japanese snacks were uncovered at a US airport, customs officials said Wednesday.
The live creepy crawlies, up to 13 cm long, were concealed among potato chips, chocolate and other goodies at Los Angeles International Airport last month.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) estimated that the 37 creatures were worth around $1,500 and likely destined for exotic insect collectors.
"They may look harmless, but in reality, smuggled beetles pose a significant threat to our vital agriculture resources," said Cheryl Davies of the CBP in Los Angeles.
"Beetles can become a serious pest by eating plants, leaves and roots and laying eggs on tree bark, which damages our forests."
The specimens, including scarab beetles, stag beetles and darkling beetles, will likely find their way to local zoos that permit such creatures, the CBP said.
Alongside its traditional cuisine, Japan has, nurtured a reputation for innovative snacks in recent years. These include KitKat chocolates flavoured with cherry blossom or wasabi.
However, while locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets occasionally appear on the Japanese dinner table, especially in rural areas, beetles are not commonly consumed.
© Agence France-Presse
