Why the 67 Giant Snails Seized in L.A. Are Harmful
African giant land snails can wreak havoc on crops and pose a health risk, experts say.
In a case of illegal snail mail, officials at Los Angeles International Airport intercepted a shipment of 67 live giant African land snails from Nigeria earlier this month.
The mollusks—which can measure nearly 8 inches (about 20 centimeters) long and weigh more than 1 pound (500 grams)—are considered a delicacy in parts of their native Africa. But in the U.S. they're an agricultural pest that does extreme damage.
Authorities believe that the incident—the largest giant African land snail seizure to date in the U.S.—is not a case of smuggling, because neither the sender nor the recipient were aware that the snail is illegal in the United States, the Associated Press reported.
This species was first brought to the continental U.S. in
