Giant African snails, a voracious invader, are intercepted at Detroit's airport

 Customs officials at Detroit Metropolitan Airport recently found six living snails inside a suitcase of a traveler who flew from Ghana, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Friday.

Agriculture specialists confirmed that the creatures with dark brown stripes were indeed giant African snails — a prohibited, invasive breed that the U.S. diligently has worked to eradicate from the country for more than 50 years.

While they appear harmless, these land snails — usually the size of an average adult fist — are considered voracious pests that can feast on more than 500 types of plants and produce, including peanuts, beans and cucumbers. When those are not available, they will consume flowers, tree bark and even the paint and stucco off of houses...MORE