PHILADELPHIA: An agriculture detector dog sniffed out a woman who tried to smuggle undeclared plants and unreported currency through Philadelphia International Airport on Thursday, according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The woman flew in from Athens, Greece, and processed her arrival using a Global Entry self-help kiosk, which provides faster screenings for pre-approved travelers deemed to be low risk.
Though she claimed she possessed no agriculture products and $3,500 in currency, a customs K-9 alerted agents to the woman’s checked baggage.
CBP agriculture specialists examined the luggage and found 18 assorted plants with roots, four peach pits, and basil, according to authorities. The woman did not have the required certificates or permits to import plants.
Also concealed in the luggage were U.S. dollars and Euros totaling $39,715, investigators said. Federal law requires travelers to fill out financial reporting forms for any amount of currency that exceeds $10,000.
Customs agents seized the unreported cash, assessed a $500 civil penalty against the woman, and revoked her Global Entry privilege. Her name was not released because she was not criminally charged.
The customs K-9, a beagle named Auburn, was rewarded with a dog treat, investigators said.
“These seizures illustrate again how CBP and our nation benefits tremendously from the expertise of our four-legged partners,” Paul Nardella, customs assistant port director for Philadelphia, said in a statement. “You might be able to fool a kiosk, but you can’t fool a canine’s nose.”
