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TSA agents at Newark Airport find live turtle hidden in man's pants
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Mar 11, 2025
Modified Mar 11, 2025
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Transportation Security Administration
By
Giulia Heyward
Published Mar 11, 2025
Modified Mar 11, 2025
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The Transportation Security Administration said agents at Newark Liberty International Airport discovered a passenger trying to sneak an unusual carry-on item onto his flight last week: a live turtle hidden in the front of the man's pants.
A Pennsylvania man traveling through the airport triggered an alarm when he walked through a body scanner on March 7, the TSA said, adding that the source of the trigger was “in the area of the man’s groin.”
After a pat down, the man reached into the front of his pants and pulled out a live turtle, which was wrapped in a blue towel, according to the TSA. The agency said the man identified the turtle as a red-eared slider, which WildlifeNYC describes as an invasive turtle species and one of the most common turtles found in New York City.
“We have seen travelers try to conceal knives and other weapons on their person, in their shoes and in their luggage, however I believe this is the first time we have come across someone who was concealing a live animal down the front of his pants,” Thomas Carter, the TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey, said.
The 5-inch-long reptile appeared to be unharmed, according to Carter. The traveler, however, missed his flight after he was escorted from the premises, according to the TSA.
Port Authority police confiscated the animal and contacted local animal control as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, according to the TSA. The Port Authority told Gothamist on Tuesday that the turtle was given over to Newark Animal Control.
This story has been updated to include comment from the Port Authority.
Tagged
environment
new jersey
transportation
Giulia Heyward
Giulia Heyward is a breaking news reporter on the Day-Of desk. She previously worked at NPR, as a breaking news reporter, and the New York Times, as a reporting fellow on the national desk. Her work has also appeared in CNN, The Atlantic and Politico. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or more securely on signal at 917-715-1458.
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