NEW YORK, Oct 7, (Agencies): Customs officials in Minnesota made an unusual discovery when they seized a box containing giraffe feces from a traveler arriving from Kenya, who claimed she intended to use the droppings for crafting a necklace.

Upon her arrival at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport following a trip to Kenya, a resident of Iowa was singled out for inspection by agriculture specialists, as per U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The traveler openly declared the giraffe feces and explained her intention to utilize them in crafting a necklace. She also revealed that she had previously used moose feces for similar purposes at her home in Iowa.

CBP's specialists promptly confiscated the box, and the contents were disposed of through steam sterilization, ensuring their safe and sanitary disposal.

Highlighting the potential risks associated with bringing fecal matter into the United States, LaFonda Sutton-Burke, CBP's director of field operations for the Chicago Field Office, stated, "There is a real danger with bringing fecal matter into the U.S. If this person had entered the U.S. and had not declared these items, there is a high possibility a person could have contracted a disease from this jewelry and developed serious health issues."

CBP emphasized that any importation of feces into the United States by international travelers necessitates a veterinary services permit to mitigate potential health hazards.