Airport security finds human umbilical cords in passenger's luggage

Agents with the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discovered human umbilical cords inside luggage at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

On August 2, the officials said they uncovered this when they were inspecting a passenger's luggage on Spirit Airlines Flight 1439 from Honduras, as noted in a press release from the agency.

The passenger was referred for secondary inspection.

During the inspection, the passenger informed officials that the umbilical cord and an accompanying medical wristband were a relative's, and they chose to abandon the items, which were then incinerated.

This wasn't the first time a passenger on a flight originating in Honduras had biological items in their luggage.

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On June 28, a passenger flying from Honduras to New Orleans also had an umbilical cord accompanied by a positive pregnancy test in his luggage, and told officials they belonged to a relative.

Mark Choina, New Orleans acting port director, noted that the events should be a learning lesson to remind people of "the importance of knowing what is in your bag" to ensure that they can legally transport items.

"This seizure highlights the importance of knowing what is in your bag and if you can legally import it, especially if you are transporting it for someone else," Choina said.

An import permit from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is required for globetrotters who have biological materials in their luggage.

On an ordinary day in the 2021 fiscal year, CBP found 264 pests at US.ports of entry.

They also encountered 2,548 materials for quarantine, including plant, meat, animal byproduct, and soil.

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