Customs Agents Intercept Smuggled Animal Skulls at San Francisco Airport

By Peter Jamison Tue., Jan. 17 2012 at 1:30 PM

Courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Stopped at the border

It's always interesting to see the sorts of contraband that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are intercepting in the Bay Area. About a year ago, we heaved a sigh of relief after "destructive" Pakistani insects were detected by the feds in a shipment of rice in Oakland.

But such arthropod invaders seem pedestrian next to the latest scourge discovered by CBP. In a statement this morning, the agency announced that six mouse deer skulls were found concealed in bags of dried fruit peels at the international mail center at San Francisco International Airport. The mail came from Laos, and was destined for Minnesota.

The fruit peels and skulls (pictured) were seized and destroyed. The mouse deer, also known as the chevrotain, is a grazing animal that might transmit hoof-and-mouth disease, according to CBP.

Unanswered is a basic question: Why would anyone want to secretly mail animal skulls from Laos to Minnesota?

"Your guess is as good as mine," said CBP spokesman Edward Low.

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Tags:

Laos, mouse deer, smuggling, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

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Hniachue

Hmong believe that the horn of that mouse deer would bring them great fortune and safety. They could make a lot of money from it.

Bingbinglau

This strange item are not mailed by the actual Laotian or Lao people. But are from another ethnic who of Shaman religious, who used this deer head as a spiritual practice. And Minnesota hold the most Hmong ethnic minority in the U.S and the only largest ethnic from Laos.

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Lanajiwat31_

those people not 100 percent Lao , they are trible or minority ethic most of them live on mountian , we call them meow people or Hmong people now

Paothao

TO: Lanajiwat31

I'm not calling you by another name so for future reference, Hmong is the appropriate word!

Lawsoualor

I know who you are; you are Laotian. Do not, I say do not critcise the mountain people (Meow) like that. They are also Laotian too. Be nice low land brother.