see also: in July 2006 News Releases:   SENTRI Participants Revoked for Agriculture Violations   Monthly Trade Payments to CBP Reach $5 Billion   Border Patrol, National Guard Partnership Helps Deny, Deter Illegal Immigration   U.S. Customs and Border Protection Offers Tips for Summer Border Travel   CBP Agriculture Specialist Intercepts Voracious Slug   Customs and Border Protection Has Five Drug Seizures In Five Days At The Detroit Border Crossings   Customs and Border Protection South Florida Marina Update ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases

contacts for this news release

Atlanta, GA – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport have seized approximately 62 pounds of prohibited bushmeat to date this year.

CBP agriculture specialists over the last 6 months have confiscated bushmeat from some of the following countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Liberia totaling over 62 pounds. CBP agriculture specialists have been working with the Fish and Wildlife Service who enforce regulations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on physical inspections based on human health concerns.

In Africa, forest is often referred to as “the bush”, thus wildlife and the meat derived from it is referred to as “bushmeat”. This term applies to all wildlife used for meat including: elephant; gorilla; chimpanzee and other primates; forest antelope (duikers); crocodile; grasscutter; bush pig; cane rat; etc, including threatened and endangered.

There are significant health concerns relating to the consumption of bushmeat. Scientists think past outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in central Africa were caused by the consumption of infected non-human primate meat. Hunting of apes for bushmeat is one of the ways humans can come into contact with the HIV virus. As Apes are butchered for meat, the person doing the butchering comes in contact with the infected blood.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s top priority is to keep terrorists and their weapons from entering the United States. While welcoming all legitimate travelers and trade, CBP officers enforce all applicable U.S. laws. CBP prevents narcotics, agricultural pests and smuggled goods from entering the country and also enforces laws from other federal agencies including wildlife protection laws.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control, and protection of our Nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.