Smuggled live beetles found stashed inside Japanese snacks at LAX, officials say

The packages of potato chips, chocolate and various Japanese snacks that arrived at Los Angeles International Airport last month contained more than just tasty treats.

Hidden inside the bundle were insects not fit for consumption, but ideal for exotic beetle enthusiasts.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists found 37 giant live beetles — valued at $1,480 — stashed inside an air cargo shipment that had arrived in California from Japan, authorities said this week.

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Exotic insects have become popular among collectors and invertebrate aficionados across the globe. Insects are frequently sold online and through underground sources, making them a lucrative part of the illegal wildlife trade.

The beetles were hidden inside packages of chips, chocolate and other Japanese snack foods, officials said.

(U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

But they can wreak havoc on forests and agriculture, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

“They may look harmless but in reality, smuggled beetles pose a significant threat to our vital agriculture resources,” Cheryl M. Davies, the director of field operations in Los Angeles for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said in a news release. “Beetles can become a serious pest by eating plants, leaves and roots, and by laying eggs on tree bark, which damages our forests.”

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires those who want to import live insects into the United States to obtain a permit. But some try to flout those rules, officials said.

Officials say the beetles can wreak havoc on forests and agricultural resources in the United States.

(U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture seized the beetles and will determine where the insects will go next. Officials say they likely will be donated to local zoos that have permits for such insects or will be preserved for a local collection.

Who shipped the beetles, or their intended final destination, was not immediately clear.