Turtle In Bra? TSA Catches Woman Smuggling Turtle Pair At Miami Airport

In a bizarre and alarming incident at Miami International Airport, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers discovered two live turtles hidden inside a woman’s bra. The event, which took place in April, was only recently disclosed in a July 24 LinkedIn post by TSA. According to TSA, advanced imaging technology flagged a suspicious item in the woman’s chest area during the security screening. She was taken aside for a private inspection, where officers uncovered two live turtles stashed in what TSA called an “alarming area.”

The attempt to smuggle the reptiles through airport security prompted the involvement of multiple agencies, including US Customs and Border Protection and the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Did The Turtles Survive?

Unfortunately, one of the turtles did not survive the ordeal. The surviving turtle was confiscated and handed over to wildlife authorities for care and proper handling. In their post, TSA reminded travelers in a humorous but firm tone: “OK friends, please — and we cannot emphasize this enough — stop hiding animals in weird places on your body and then trying to sneak them through airport security. No, really.”

Another Turtle In The Pants

This wasn’t an isolated case. Earlier in March, a man at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey attempted to smuggle a red-eared slider turtle in the crotch area of his pants. After triggering an alarm, the man was subjected to a pat-down, during which he retrieved the live turtle wrapped in a blue towel from inside his trousers. Port Authority Police confiscated the turtle, and the man was removed from the security checkpoint and missed his flight.

TSA used the incidents to issue a reminder to travelers about the proper way to transport pets: “We want you to be able to travel with your pets, and you turtle-ly can, but please travel with them safely.” The agency emphasized that small pets are allowed through TSA checkpoints, but they must be removed from carriers and carried through security, not hidden under clothing. TSA also advised travelers to check with their airline for specific rules on flying with pets.