

(Stephanie Klein-Davis/For The Washington Post)

The passenger had 15 bags of the meat, which was cooked in a red gravy, stuffed in his six suitcases, officials said. The man was en route to Seattle.

“Customs and Border Protection agriculture typically encounter similar food products arriving from Africa, but the sheer volume makes this an extraordinarily unique seizure,” said Christopher Hess, CBP port director for the Port of Washington.

Customs rules prohibit the importation of animal products from countries that are known to have certain animal diseases, such as swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease.

The passenger declared he had the meat in his luggage. The meat was incinerated.