On March 7, an unnamed Pennsylvanian man attempted to smuggle a turtle in his pants through TSA at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
The man was in the process of getting a body scan when, according to a statement from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an alarm went off “in the area of the man’s groin.” A pat down was then administered, and, when asked, the man pulled a turtle out of his pants. Wrapped in a little blue towel, it was estimated to be about five inches long. The man identified it as a red-eared slider turtle, which is one of the most common turtle species on earth and the most popular turtle to keep as a pet in the United States. The turtle was confiscated after animal control was contacted, and the man escorted out of the airport after being questioned by authorities.
Thomas Carter, the TSA federal security director for New Jersey, commended the officer who conducted the pat down, stating it was done “in a very professional manner.” Carter assured the public that “the turtle was not harmed by the man’s actions.”
