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Giant Snails Stopped From Entery The U.S. At LAX

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. U.S. Custom inspectors at LA's international airport are trained to watch for anything fishy. But slimy? This month inspectors discovered dozens of live giant African snails. Each weighs about 2 pounds and measures nearly six inches. Packed in picnic baskets, the snails arrived from Nigeria where they're considered a delicacy. Here in California, though, they're considered an invasion - able to eat paint and 500 types of plants. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.