Avoid costly fines! This everyday snack could get you in serious trouble when flying into the US
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Content Warning: This article contains strong language that some readers may find offensive. Reader discretion is advised.
Imagine stepping off a long flight, ready to breeze through customs and head home, only to find yourself facing a hefty $500 fine—all because of a simple snack you picked up during your travels.
This isn't a hypothetical scenario–it's a cautionary tale that recently befell a seasoned US traveler and serves as a stark reminder of the strict regulations governing what can and cannot be brought into the country.
So, what should you NOT bring on a flight back to the US?
The traveler in question, Dylan O'Byrne, shared his story on social media, where it quickly went viral with over 834,000 views. He was coming home from Southeast Asia.
O'Byrne, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, recounted how, after a grueling 42-hour journey with a layover in Germany, he was stopped by border agents and a keen-nosed sniffer dog as he prepared to leave the airport.
To his dismay, the agents discovered a banana he had absentmindedly grabbed from an airport lounge during his layover and forgotten about in his bag.
However, Border Patrol remained unfazed, scanning his passport and cautioning him about a potential $500 fine for failing to declare an agricultural item.
Despite his extensive travel experience—having visited over 20 countries and all 50 US states—O'Byrne was taken aback by the severity of the situation. "I’m like, ‘Are they serious?’ They are joking, right," he said in his uploaded video.
The seemingly innocent fruit had put him at risk of a significant fine for bringing in an undeclared agricultural item, a violation of US customs rules.
The United States takes the protection of its agriculture from pests and diseases very seriously.
A single piece of contaminated fruit could potentially lead to an outbreak similar to the devastating fruit fly infestation of the 1980s, which cost millions of dollars to control.
Consequently, travelers must declare all food items upon entry to the US, and failure to do so can result in fines up to $1,000 for first-time offenders, as stated by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
"I was rightfully flabbergasted. I know what can and can’t be brought across borders — I’ve traveled my entire life, visited over 20 countries, and explored all 50 states thoroughly. But the way this was handled struck me as odd," he shared.
Anthony Bucci, a spokesperson for the CBP, emphasized that"all agricultural items must be declared" and prohibited items are confiscated.
"More importantly, civil penalties may be assessed for failure to declare prohibited agricultural products and may range up to $1,000 per first-time offense for noncommercial quantities," Bucci said.
Source: @dylanobyrne / Tiktok.
"If the items are determined to be for commercial use, violations will be assessed at a much-higher rate."
The incident with O'Byrne serves as a reminder to review the list of items regulated by the CBP. These include, but are not limited to:
O'Byrne's video sparked a debate among users, with some highlighting the importance of these regulations to protect US agriculture, while others expressed sympathy for the traveler's oversight.
"Fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc., can carry bugs or disease that can impact our agriculture," the user stated.
"Almost like they tell you 100 times not to bring fruit before you even land," another user expressed.
"I had to declare apples entering Fiji, they took the apples and chucked them out. Otherwise $400 fine. Not taking any food anywhere anymore," one more shared.
Many shared their own experiences with customs and the strict enforcement of these rules, with anecdotes of fines and confiscated items.
The key takeaway from O'Byrne's experience is clear: always declare any food items when entering the US, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. While O'Byrne has yet to be fined and has expressed his respect for border security, he also hopes for a balance of “common sense” in the enforcement of these rules.
"I respect border security, but I wasn’t trying to smuggle fruit," he told the team at Newsweek.
Also read: Avoid a $127 nightmare: Find out which parking rules could cost you big time!
Have you ever faced a similar situation, or do you have tips for remembering to declare items? Let's discuss in the comments below and help each other navigate these rules with ease!
Imagine stepping off a long flight, ready to breeze through customs and head home, only to find yourself facing a hefty $500 fine—all because of a simple snack you picked up during your travels.
This isn't a hypothetical scenario–it's a cautionary tale that recently befell a seasoned US traveler and serves as a stark reminder of the strict regulations governing what can and cannot be brought into the country.
So, what should you NOT bring on a flight back to the US?
The traveler in question, Dylan O'Byrne, shared his story on social media, where it quickly went viral with over 834,000 views. He was coming home from Southeast Asia.
O'Byrne, who lives in Nashville, Tennessee, recounted how, after a grueling 42-hour journey with a layover in Germany, he was stopped by border agents and a keen-nosed sniffer dog as he prepared to leave the airport.
To his dismay, the agents discovered a banana he had absentmindedly grabbed from an airport lounge during his layover and forgotten about in his bag.
However, Border Patrol remained unfazed, scanning his passport and cautioning him about a potential $500 fine for failing to declare an agricultural item.
A US traveler faced a $500 fine for bringing an undeclared banana into the country, which he took from an airport lounge in Germany. Image source: @dylanobyrne / Tiktok.
Despite his extensive travel experience—having visited over 20 countries and all 50 US states—O'Byrne was taken aback by the severity of the situation. "I’m like, ‘Are they serious?’ They are joking, right," he said in his uploaded video.
The seemingly innocent fruit had put him at risk of a significant fine for bringing in an undeclared agricultural item, a violation of US customs rules.
The United States takes the protection of its agriculture from pests and diseases very seriously.
A single piece of contaminated fruit could potentially lead to an outbreak similar to the devastating fruit fly infestation of the 1980s, which cost millions of dollars to control.
Consequently, travelers must declare all food items upon entry to the US, and failure to do so can result in fines up to $1,000 for first-time offenders, as stated by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
"I was rightfully flabbergasted. I know what can and can’t be brought across borders — I’ve traveled my entire life, visited over 20 countries, and explored all 50 states thoroughly. But the way this was handled struck me as odd," he shared.
Anthony Bucci, a spokesperson for the CBP, emphasized that"all agricultural items must be declared" and prohibited items are confiscated.
"More importantly, civil penalties may be assessed for failure to declare prohibited agricultural products and may range up to $1,000 per first-time offense for noncommercial quantities," Bucci said.
Source: @dylanobyrne / Tiktok.
"If the items are determined to be for commercial use, violations will be assessed at a much-higher rate."
The incident with O'Byrne serves as a reminder to review the list of items regulated by the CBP. These include, but are not limited to:
Source: The US Sun.
O'Byrne's video sparked a debate among users, with some highlighting the importance of these regulations to protect US agriculture, while others expressed sympathy for the traveler's oversight.
"Fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc., can carry bugs or disease that can impact our agriculture," the user stated.
"Almost like they tell you 100 times not to bring fruit before you even land," another user expressed.
"I had to declare apples entering Fiji, they took the apples and chucked them out. Otherwise $400 fine. Not taking any food anywhere anymore," one more shared.
Many shared their own experiences with customs and the strict enforcement of these rules, with anecdotes of fines and confiscated items.
The key takeaway from O'Byrne's experience is clear: always declare any food items when entering the US, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. While O'Byrne has yet to be fined and has expressed his respect for border security, he also hopes for a balance of “common sense” in the enforcement of these rules.
"I respect border security, but I wasn’t trying to smuggle fruit," he told the team at Newsweek.
Also read: Avoid a $127 nightmare: Find out which parking rules could cost you big time!
Have you ever faced a similar situation, or do you have tips for remembering to declare items? Let's discuss in the comments below and help each other navigate these rules with ease!
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