Detroit customs seize illegal shipment of giant African snails.
Customs officers at Detroit airport confiscated six live giant African snails from a passenger's luggage arriving from Ghana. The snails are considered a prohibited organism in the US due to their potential to cause diseases in humans and wreak havoc on the environment. The snails can grow up to 8 inches long and carry a parasite that leads to meningitis in humans. They also eat at least 500 different types of plants and can consume plaster and stucco off houses as a source of calcium. The snails are popular as pets and food in some countries.