15 Giant Snails Found In Woman's Luggage At Texas Airport

A woman flying into the Houston's Bush International Airport was carrying more than just clothes in her luggage in early July.

The woman traveled from Nigeria and declared that she had dried beef in her bag. She later said that she had live snails with her, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Agents opened her luggage to find three plastic bags holding five large snails apiece with a little bit of beef and leaves so they could snack on. The snails were turned over to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and were identified as giant land snails or banana rasp snails.

This type of snail is sometimes kept as a pet in other countries. However, they are illegal in the United States because they're an invasive species.

Giant land snails are native to Africa but are banned in the U.S. because they can carry rat lungworm, which can cause rare forms of meningitis in humans. They'll also devour most fruits and vegetables, but will start munching ornamental plants, tree bark, and even stucco on houses if they can't find produce, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Our agriculture specialists remain vigilant in protecting the U.S. from foreign animal and plant disease that could threaten U.S. crop production and livestock industry or be transmitted to humans," said Houston CBP Port Director Shawn Polley.