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Customs officials discover young dolphin's skull inside unattended bag at Detroit airport

The baggage was separated from its owner while traveling and was screened when reentering the United States

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: US Customs and Border Protection's recent discovery in an unattended bag at a Detroit airport added itself to the long list of people attempting to smuggle forbidden or illegal items into another country. Inside the bag, the federal authorities found a young dolphin’s skull.

According to a press release from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Friday, February 4, the baggage was separated from its owner while traveling and was screened when reentering the United States. While processing a re-entry at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, routine X-Ray screenings revealed what appeared to be a skull-shaped object in an unaccompanied suitcase. “Upon further examination by CBP and US Fish and Wildlife Service officials, it was determined the skull was from a young dolphin,” the release said.

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According to a tweet shared by the official account of CBP, the skull was handed over to US Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors for further investigation. All dolphins are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Moreover, there are certain restrictions and requirements that should be followed while importing and exporting certain fish, wildlife, and products. Notably, this case could result in penalties, seizures of the item, and even arrest in the United States, as per CBS News.

“The possession of wildlife items, especially those of protected animals is prohibited. We take wildlife smuggling seriously and work closely with our federal partners at the US Fish and Wildlife Service to protect wildlife and their habitats,” said Robert Larkin, the area port director, in a statement. ''Certain fish and wildlife, and products made from them, are subject to import and export restrictions, prohibitions, permits or certificates, as well as other requirements. This includes wild birds, land or marine mammals, reptiles, fish, shellfish, mollusks or invertebrates, and any animal part or product, to include skins, tusks, bone, feathers, or eggs,'' the release further noted. 

The news release has not provided any information about the individual or to who did the luggage belonged. In a similar incident held in December, CBP officers found zebra and giraffe bones in a woman at Washington’s Dulles International Airport. The woman was reportedly traveling from Kenya, and had kept the bones as souvenirs, authorities said at the time, as per CNN.