Customs officers confiscated 6 illegal giant African snails at a Detroit airport. That type of snail is associated with causing meningitis.
In addition, they eat at least 500 different types of plants, and even consume the plaster and stucco off houses as a source of calcium, which can lead to environmental damage if they are released into the wild, Customs and Border Protection said.
In July, a Florida county was placed under quarantine after officials discovered a fast-growing population of the snails. The population was thought to have originated in the illegal pet trade. A previous population of giant African snails found in Miami-Dade County took 10 years and millions of dollars and to be fully eradicated. The snails can produce up to 2,500 eggs per year, so the population is difficult to control.
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