Watch CBS News

Elephant Meat Bound For Fresno Seized At Airport

LOS ANGELES (CBS / AP) -- U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Los Angeles have made some unusual seizures, including elephant meat, a dead primate and hundreds of handbags made from the skin of snakes, lizards and crocodiles.

The agency said in a press release Monday that the illegal items were seized between May 6 and May 10 at an international mail facility and at Los Angeles International Airport.

The tiny dead macaque primate from Indonesia had been declared as a gift and was addressed to North Port, Fla.

The elephant meat was from a protected species in Thailand and was bound for Fresno.

The 387 purses were in the baggage of a passenger from Nigeria. They were made from skins of African rock pythons, monitor lizards, dwarf crocodiles, cobras and puff adder snakes.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.