(Tuesday, September 22, 2009) - Louisville, Ky. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists working at Louisville International Airport’s United Parcel Service facility discovered live insect larvae while inspecting a shipment from India. The larvae were identified by USDA specialists as Khapra beetle, one of the world's most destructive pests of grain products and seeds.
The beetle was found in a shipment manifested as dried flowers. The shipment contained four total packages and examination by the CBP agriculture specialists revealed numerous food types of lentils, chickpeas and dried flowers. The shipment was held for further inspection due to signs of insect feeding damage.
This is the second Khapra beetle intercepted at the UPS facility in Louisville. This pest causes an estimated six to 33 percent loss of grain products and seeds in infested storage facilities. The entire shipment was re-exported back to India.
“CBP agriculture specialists do an amazing job in protecting this country from pests and diseases that could cause significant impact on agriculture in the United States,” said David Murphy, CBP director of Field Operations in Chicago. “These noteworthy interceptions further illustrate the importance of detecting harmful pests, like the Khapra beetle, and preventing them from being introduced into this country.”
CBP agriculture specialists inspect imported goods at U.S. ports of entry while preventing the introduction of harmful plant pests and diseases to America’s agricultural resources. On a typical day during fiscal year 2008, CBP agriculture specialists seized 4,125 prohibited meat, plant materials or animal products, including 435 agricultural pests at ports of entry.
More information on CBP’s agricultural inspection activities is available on the Agricultural Inspection section of the CBP Web site. ( Agricultural Inspection )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
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