Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection made a surprising discovery in the Texas town of Progreso. They found four spider monkeys in a duffle bag in a vehicle that was stopped at a border checkpoint.
A woman driving a Jeep through the checkpoint in Hidalgo County was referred for a secondary inspection. That's when officers found the animals inside a bag. They had not been properly declared. They're native to Central and South America and are considered to be endangered.
"While conducting their inspections, our officers will often encounter a myriad of prohibited agriculture products," said Port Director Walter Weaver, Port of Progreso. "Sometimes these encounters yield hidden exotic animals, such as in this case."
The woman was issued a penalty by CPB. The spider monkeys were returned to Mexico.
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