- A traveler shared a recent incident on TikTok in which she was almost fined by Customs and Border Control at the airport.
- The woman forgot that she had an apple in her bag, but a K9 dog sniffed it out at baggage claim.
- She got off with a warning, but she could have been fined up to $800 and lost her Global Entry.
If you’re flying into the U.S. from an international trip, make sure you double check your bag for any food items before entering the airport customs area.
A TikTok user learned the consequences of not declaring food when entering the U.S. after a single apple in her bag was caught and confiscated by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). The user, Discovering with Dina, posted about her experience returning home to the U.S. from Amsterdam with the forgotten piece of fruit, which almost cost her a large fine and her Global Entry status.
The five-second clip shows Dina with her suitcase in the baggage claim area, while the text over the images says, “She doesn’t know it yet but a K9 is about to walk up to her and smell the apple that she forgot to declare in customs causing her to almost get fined $500 and get Global Entry revoked.”
She expands on the situation in the caption of the post, explaining that a Customs and Border Control officer came up to her and asked if she had food in her bag because the trained dog was smelling it. Supposedly, the customs officer told her, “I could fine you $500 right now and revoke your Global Entry.”
According to Customs and Border Patrol: “All agriculture items must be declared and are subject to inspection by a CBP Agriculture Specialist at ports of entry to ensure they are free of plant pests and foreign animal diseases.” These prohibited or restricted items include fresh fruits and vegetables, plants and cut flowers, seeds, soil, meats, and other products made from animal or plant materials.
The officer took Dina’s passport and went through all of her bags, according to her account of the incident. “He said if I had lied about the [a]pple, I would’ve gotten a $300 fine,” she wrote, “Then I could’ve gotten another $500 fine for actually having the apple.”
Upon entering the U.S., travelers must declare all purchases over $800, cash (including travelers’ checks) over $10,000, and all food, plant, and animal products. The full list of restricted and prohibited items can be found online at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s site at aphis.usda.gov. The site has detailed FAQs that instruct travelers on what products they can and cannot bring into the U.S., categorized by which countries they’ve visited.
“We recommend that you keep receipts and original packaging of agricultural products as proof of their country of origin,” says the USDA’s site. “As long as you declare all agricultural products to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, you will not face any penalties—even if an inspector determines that the items cannot enter the country.”
Dina was given a warning instead of a fine, and she made the TikTok to warn other people who might find themselves in the same situation. “Thankfully I was given a warning because this is my first offense but this was a reminder to take it seriously. I genuinely forgot about the apple and declaring it wasn’t top of mind since they stopped having you fill out those forms on the plane. I also didn’t know you are supposed to declare all food, even if it’s processed,” she wrote.
