100 Prohibited Porcupine Quills Seized At Dulles Airport

DULLES, VA — Agriculture specialists from U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 100 porcupine quills recently at Washington Dulles International Airport, according to a release. The quills are prohibited because the could pose an animal and human virus threat.

A U.S. citizen who had arrived from Africa on April 21, was referred for a second examination after he declared to CBP officials that he was in possession of an animal horn. An examination revealed the traveler had an ivory bottle opener and 100 porcupine quills.

The Centers for Disease Control informed CBP on April 22 to seize the quills, because they were a potential vector for the monkeypox virus. After releasing the traveler, the CBP turned the quills over to the CDC.

The U.S. experienced its last outbreak of the monkeypox virus in 2003, when 47 confirmed and probable cases of the virus were reported in six states — Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin. An investigation revealed that the outbreak originated from a shipment of animals from Ghana that was imported to Texas on April 9, 2003.

“Travelers should be aware that those seemingly safe animal souvenirs they purchase overseas may accidentally introduce animal diseases that could devastate our livestock industries, sicken our citizens, and impact our nation’s economy,” said Keith Fleming, acting director of Field Operations for CBP’s Baltimore Field Office, in a release. “Customs and Border Protection remains on our nation’s frontline as protectors of our agricultural resources, and we will continue to work with our partners to intercept all potential threats at our nation’s ports of entry.”