ST. PAUL — Minnesota Agriculture officials on Friday, Jan. 14, issued a warning to travelers that it is illegal to carry bushmeat into the United States for sale or consumption.
The notice comes after Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport officials reported multiple instances of bushmeat being smuggled into the country last month. The products transferred from Liberia were confiscated and destroyed, according to U.S. Customs agents.
Bushmeat comes from monkeys and other nonhuman primates and is raw or processed by smoking, drying or salting. Because of the minimal processing, the meat can carry viruses and pathogens, like Ebola, that are dangerous to people.
Illegally transporting any amount of bushmeat into the United States carries a $250,000 fine. And federal officials at U.S. ports can confiscate and destroy the meat, along with any personal items that might've touched it.
