Thread: Plant-munching aliens stopped at U.S.-Mexican border

Plant-munching aliens stopped at U.S.-Mexican border

November 13, 2009 | 6:04 pm

U.S. customs and border protection officials not once but twice nabbed intruders furtively attempting to enter the country this week from Mexico.

But the intruders weren’t illegal immigrants. They were pests known as pale-striped flea beetles, which chew holes and pits in leaves and represent a threat to California’s agricultural industry. Beetle larvae feeding on plant roots have caused serious crop damage in the Imperial Valley in the past.

According to Billy Whitford, the agency’s director of port operations in Calexico, the pests were discovered Monday during inspections of two separate shipments in the port’s cargo import facility. In the first shipment, the pests were discovered in more than 700 boxes of fresh red oak lettuce, red romaine and arugula. The second shipment contained more than 800 boxes of mizuna, coriander and tango produce. Both shipments were sent back to Mexico.

“We are not only aggressively combating the flow of illegal narcotics and preventing people from illegally entering our nation,â€

But the intruders weren’t illegal immigrants. They were pests known as pale-striped flea beetles, which chew holes and pits in leaves and represent a threat to California’s agricultural industry. Beetle larvae feeding on plant roots have caused serious crop damage in the Imperial Valley in the past.


More great stuff we get from Mexico. sarcasm.

ACLU will file a complaint cause the beetles being from mexico were shipped back without due process before an Immigration judge.........

Just wait til PETA gets involved!