At an international airport near Washington US Customs and Border Protection agents found two cow dung cake in left over baggage of a passenger from India which was left behind after passengers cleared customs and border protection inspection station. Passenger had disembarked from an Air India flight on 4^th April 2021.

Reason for carrying two cow dung cakes is not known, however CBP destroyed both the dung cakes as it has the potential to introduce Foot and Mouth Disease.

“Foot and Mouth Disease is one of the animal diseases that livestock owners dread most, has grave economic consequences, and it is a critical threat focus of Customs and Border Protection’s agriculture protection mission,”

Keith Fleming, Acting Director of Field Operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office

You may need a U.S. Department of Agriculture permit and/or a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention permit to import biological specimens including bacterial cultures, culture medium, excretions, fungi, arthropods, mollusks, tissues of livestock, birds, plants, viruses, or vectors for research, biological or pharmaceutical use. Permit requirements are located under “Permits” on the USDA Web site and CDC permit information can be found on the Etiologic Agent Import Permit Program page. 

Prohibited and Restricted Items US CBP

Read Dulles CBP Agriculture Specialists Find Cake Surprise in Leftover Baggage