Customs Finds Roasted Pig Head at Atlanta Airport

© Getty Images Passport Officer at Airport Security. (photo via Digital Vision / Photodisc) By Donald Wood, TravelPulse Security officers...

© Getty Images Passport Officer at Airport Security. (photo via Digital Vision / Photodisc)

By Donald Wood, TravelPulse

Security officers working at an Atlanta airport last week got more than they bargained for when a roasted pig head was discovered in the luggage of a traveler.

According to the official website of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, agents working at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on October 11 were alerted to possible contraband by a service dog named Hardy.

Officers inspected the checked luggage of a passenger arriving in the United States from Ecuador and found a two-pound roasted pig head. The agency said pork products are not allowed to be transported into the country due to concerns about animal-borne illnesses.

The pig’s head was confiscated and destroyed.

“Our best defense against destructive pests and animal diseases is to prevent the entry of prohibited agriculture products from entering the United States,” CBP port director Carey Davis said in a statement. “This seizure at ATL illustrates the tremendous expertise of our four-legged K-9 partners in protecting the United States.”

As for the hard-working six-year-old beagle who made the bust possible, Hardy has worked at the Atlanta airport since 2015 when he graduated from the U.S. Department of Agriculture training program.