A Nigerian passenger has been penalised by Canadian border authorities after more than 40 kilogrammes of undeclared meat products were discovered in his luggage at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The Canada Border Services Agency said the seized items included chicken and dried, spiced beef popularly known as kilishi.
According to the agency, the discovery was made during a routine inspection involving a detector dog identified as Moby, who flagged the suspect baggage upon arrival from Nigeria.
The traveller, whose identity was not disclosed, was found to have failed to declare the food items as required under Canadian import regulations.
“Detector Dog Moby intercepted over 40kg of undeclared beef and chicken in a traveller’s luggage arriving from Nigeria.
The food products were seized and the traveller was fined,” the CBSA said.
Officials stressed that all food, animal and plant products must be declared at the point of entry into Canada, regardless of whether they are cooked, dried or packaged.
The agency warned that failure to comply could result in seizure of goods, monetary penalties or prosecution, depending on the severity of the violation.
It added that such restrictions are in place to prevent the spread of pests and diseases that could threaten public health, agriculture and the environment.
The incident has since generated reactions online, with many social media users expressing shock at the quantity of meat involved, while others criticised the traveller for breaching import rules.
