The 45 items below were all confiscated at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York at either the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Federal Inspection Site or the U.S. Postal Service International Mail Facility.
The items are just some examples of what people try to smuggle into the US every day on flights or by mail. Items ranging from the normal, such as counterfeit goods like handbags and watches to the extreme, such as deer penis or the corpse of little mammals.
All the items were photographed by photographer Taryn Simon for her book and exhibition, “Contraband”.
Enfield 1858 percussion pistol, sent from Afghanistan (unlicensed).
Taryn Simon
Guinea pigs, sent from Ecuador (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Season 4 DVDs of Lost (pirated).
Taryn Simon
Deer penis, sent from somewhere in Asia origin (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Exotic fruits, sent from somewhere in Africa (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Unidentified dead mammal, sent from Indonesia (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Gold dust, sent from India (undeclared).
Taryn Simon
Patek Philippe watches, sent from China (counterfeit).
Taryn Simon
Fake drugs, sent from South Africa (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Disguised Louis Vuitton handbag, sent from China (counterfeit).
Taryn Simon
Unidentified white powder.
Taryn Simon
Chicken feet possibly containing Avian Influenza/Newcastle Disease (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Insect larvae and pupae of butterflies, sent from India (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Leather cases with ornaments (undeclared).
Taryn Simon
Oxalis tuberosa plant, sent from Peru (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Steroids, Testosterone & Sustanon, sent from Pakistan (illegal).
Taryn Simon
Cow hoof bottle, possibly with BSE or Foot and Mouth Disease (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Lard, sent from Ukraine (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Smoking accessories (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Bird corpse, labeled as home décor, sent from Indonesia (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
US currencies.
Taryn Simon
Natural chewing gum made from raw sugar cane, sent from Jamaica (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Unknown liquid (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Stalks of millet, sent from India (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
USA American Visagra, a fake Viagra brand, sent from China (counterfeit).
Taryn Simon
Juan Lopez and Hoyo De Monterrey Cuban cigars (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Cow dung toothpaste, sent from India (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Eight cartons of Marlboro cigarettes (passenger declined to pay tax – abandoned).
Taryn Simon
Deer antlers (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Nesting dolls with Snow White Disney characters (counterfeit).
Taryn Simon
Perfume and cologne (counterfeit).
Taryn Simon
Gemstones, sent from Sri Lanka (held, pending appraisal).
Taryn Simon
Heroin, sent from from India (illegal).
Taryn Simon
Hydrocodone, sent from India (illegal).
Taryn Simon
Dry khat leaves, sent from Kenya (illegal).
Taryn Simon
Ketamine, sent from India (illegal).
Taryn Simon
Peppers, sent from Ghana (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Blue and yellow pharmaceutical pills awaiting testing from FDA, sent from Pakistan (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Unmarked pills, sent from China (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
GBL, which is used as a date rape drug, sent from Poland (illegal).
Taryn Simon
South African Cycad plant with soil (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Horse sausage of Eastern European origin (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Plastic pitcher of salami, sent from Eastern Europe (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Artillery King sexual enhancement drugs, sent from China (prohibited).
Taryn Simon
Unidentified liquid hidden in thermos in satin bedding.
Taryn Simon
Darn it, now I know why I never received that shipment of bird corpses.
Source: Taryn Simon
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