An unusual incident occurred on March 7th, 2025, at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
A Pennsylvania man was going through TSA security when a body scanner triggered an alarm in the groin area. After a pat down, the TSA officer determined something was concealed in his pants. When asked, the man reached into his pants and pulled out a live turtle, wrapped in a small blue towel. The turtle, identified by the man as a red eared slider, was about 5 inches long and appeared unharmed.
The turtle was confiscated by Port Authority Police, who also escorted the man out of the security checkpoint, causing him to miss his flight. It’s unclear whether the turtle was his pet or why he chose to hide it in his pants. Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director for New Jersey, noted that while travelers often try to conceal weapons, this was likely the first time they’d encountered someone smuggling a live animal this way. The professionalism of the TSA officer during the pat down was commended and authorities planned to involve the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local animal control. Red eared sliders, by the way, are a common pet species but are considered invasive when released into the wild.
The Social Pie Network! 