6 Outrageous Customs Seizures
Every day, customs officers around the world screen bags, crates, and cargo for contraband. And while they’re usually looking for weapons, drugs, or restricted items, they sometimes find things that leave them scratching their heads.
Here are some of the weirdest, wildest, and most outrageous customs seizures ever recorded — proving that when it comes to smuggling, some people are wildly creative… and a little unhinged.
1. Snakes in a Man’s Pants (Literally)
Miami International Airport
In 2011, a man tried to smuggle seven live snakes and three tortoises onto a plane by stuffing them into his socks and pants. Security flagged him for “suspicious bulges” — and he was quickly caught.
2. A Human Skull in Checked Luggage
Rome, Italy
In 2020, airport officials opened a passenger’s suitcase and discovered a human skull wrapped in aluminum foil. The traveler claimed he had no idea how it got there. (Right.) Authorities seized the skull and launched a forensic investigation.
3. 40 Pounds of Illegal Bologna
New Mexico, USA
In 2022, a driver tried to cross the U.S.-Mexico border with over 40 pounds of Mexican bologna hidden under blankets. Why? The meat is banned in the U.S. due to strict pork import regulations — and smugglers try to profit from the demand.
4. 50 Live Birds in Hair Curlers
New York JFK Airport
A man arriving from Guyana was caught smuggling 50 finches hidden in plastic hair curlers inside his suitcase. Why finches? They’re used in high-stakes bird-singing competitions in Brooklyn.
5. A Suitcase Full of Counterfeit Shakespeare Folios
UK Border Control
Authorities once seized luggage containing forged copies of Shakespeare’s First Folio, the first published collection of his play, produced seven years after his death, estimated to be worth millions if real. The passenger claimed they were “gifts.” They were, in fact, carefully crafted fakes — part of an art fraud scheme.
6. A 19th-Century Mummified Head in a Shampoo Bottle
Florida, USA
Yes, this actually happened. U.S. customs once intercepted a small, dried, mummified head tightly packed into a shampoo bottle as though it were just another travel-size item. The passenger, who was returning from South America, said it was a "souvenir," claiming to have bought it at a local market during his trip.