November 15th, 2007 at 2:09 pm
How would you like to have been one of the custom officials opening up a package that had come from Hong Kong that had been marked “personal clothing” only to find about 300 live scorpions and spiders!
The scorpions and spiders had been packed in nets, bottles and transparent plastic boxes and were concealed under clothing and newspapers within the package. Tarantulas were also included in the spider tally.
“The scorpions almost bit the examiner,” Nelson Ebio, a port collector at the Central Mail Exchange Center, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It was the first time the post office had encountered such poisonous mail, he said.
The package had arrived from Hong Kong on a Monday, but it wasn’t clear who had sent the package or why although it’s been speculated that the package was intended for someone who collects these types of invertebrates and insects. My guess, having been involved in reptile keeping, is more along the lines that these creatures were being smuggled into the country illegally for the pet trade.
The spiders and scorpions have been handed over to Manila parks and wildlife officials.
The spiders and scorpions were later handed over to the parks and wildlife office.
October 25th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
In September, the FBI checked out a report of an atomic bomb in Tacoma and found it had turned into a pumpkin. The Port of Tacoma called the FBI after the deputy director received a phone message from a port commission candidate, Bill Casper. He said he knew how to make an atomic bomb that could elude security devices.
An FBI spokeswoman in Seattle, Robbie Burroughs, says four agents went to Casper’s office 5 days after the phone call to question him. He says he spent an hour with the agents showing them a pumpkin and another squash similar in size to pieces of the Hiroshima bomb. Burroughs says the agents left satisfied it wasn’t dangerous.
Casper’s top issue as a candidate is preventing atomic material from being smuggled into the port, and he says he expected his research would trigger scrutiny.
October 24th, 2007 at 12:10 am
Custom Officials discovered approximately 10.5 ounces of ecstasy tablets hidden inside a Mr. Potato Head toy that was sent to Australia from Ireland.
When the Australian Custom officials opened the parcel they were greeted with the smiling face of this popular children’s toy. However when they removed the back panel of the toy they found the ecstasy tablets contained in a plastic bag.
Officials turned the matter over to federal police. No arrests have been made at this time as the case is still under investigation. The maximum penalty for importing drugs to Australia is life imprisonment.
“Whilst this is one of the more unusual concealments that we have seen in recent times, people need to be aware that Customs officers are alert to unusual and often outlandish methods of concealment,” Customs Director Post Karen Williams said.
