• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at Tampa Airport stumbled on a shocking discovery while examining the belongings of an arriving visitor in Florida. What started off as a normal declaration of 10 cigars turned into something strange and eerie: a human skull and other remains packed in aluminium foil in a duffel bag.

Carlos Martel, CBP’s Director of Field Operations in the area, shared the discovery on X, posting images of the skull and fragments of bone. “The traveller claimed the items were for rituals, but due to serious health risks, the items were seized and destroyed,” Martel wrote. In his post, he added a wry warning to potential smugglers: “We never know what baggage may hold, but smugglers should know we’ll always have a bone to pick.”

Agriculture Specialists Uncover Hidden Cargo

CBP agriculture specialists were the first to notice irregularities in the traveller’s luggage. Alongside the undeclared cigars and prohibited plant material, the foil-wrapped duffel bag containing human remains was uncovered. Officials said the items were immediately seized for inspection. While the traveller insisted the remains were intended for ritualistic purposes, agents deemed them too hazardous to allow into the country.

ALSO READ: Who Is Inderjit Singh Gosal? Canada Arrests Khalistani Terrorist, Aide Of Pannun In Ottawa

Role Of US Consular Officials

The incident brings to the attention of people the rigid measures covering bringing human remains into the United States. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) demands vast documentation based on the nature of the remains being imported. Whether they are embalmed, cremated, or the deceased passed away from an infectious disease, there is a need for official documentation.

Usually, a death certificate indicating the cause of death is needed, with proper export and import clearances. The US State Department is also involved when a US citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident passes away overseas. Consular staff help families procure death certificates, mortuary certificates, and permits while working in collaboration with airlines and local officials for transportation in safety.

Martel's X post had pictures that gained attention on the internet, displaying the skull lying in its foil packets and fragmented bits of bones. The authorities did not release the name of the traveller, and no criminal charges have so far been announced. The foil-wrapped bones and skull were later incinerated according to regulations to avoid any health hazards.

ALSO READ: From Mines To Medicine: How Ukraine’s 'Robots On Wheels' Are Changing Face Of Modern Warfare