A Florida woman attempted to smuggle turtles through airport security by hiding them inside her bra – leaving one of the creature to meet a grim and tragic fate.
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Miami International Airport made the shocking discovery during a routine security screening where they found two live turtles stuffed inside a traveler’s bra.
The unnamed woman was allegedly attempting to fly out of Miami airport but she was caught red-handed when TSA agent cracked her shell of a plan.
Tragically, one of the animals did not survive the ordeal.
The surviving turtle was handed over to the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is now caring for the creature.
In a now-viral Facebook post, TSA shared the unique story and reminded passengers that while pets are allowed to travel, there are strict guidelines in place.
‘OK friends, please – and we cannot emphasize this enough – stop hiding animals in weird places on your body and then trying to sneak them through airport security,’ TSA urged in the post.
‘No, really,’ the post continued.
A Florida woman has attempted to smuggle turtles through airport security by hiding them inside her bra – leaving one of the creature to meet a grim and tragic fate
Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Miami International Airport made the shocking discovery during a routine security screening where they found two live turtles stuffed inside a traveler’s bra
‘A Florida woman traveling out of Miami International Airport (MIA) recently attempted to take a pair of turtles through our checkpoint, and the turtles were stuffed inside… yes, you guessed it… her brassiere.’
TSA Officials blasted the irresponsible pet owner for her reckless stunt in the pun-filled post.
‘We want you to be able to travel with your pets, and you turtle-ly can, but please travel with them safely.’
‘You can start by reaching out to your airline for their rules concerning pets on board flights.’
The officials reminded passengers of basic rules when traveling with pets – emphasizing that all small pets must be carried through security checkpoint, not concealed under a shirt.
‘As far as TSA screening goes, small pets are allowed through our checkpoint but must be removed from any carriers and carried through the checkpoint (notice we said “carried” and not “hidden underneath your clothing”).’
‘Sadly, for this MIA traveler, one of the turtles didn’t survive. The surviving turtle was turned over to the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife, and we’re thankful for their partnership throughout this incident.’
The TSA officials did not release the name of the passenger responsible, nor did they provide the the motive behind her actions.
It’s unclear at this point whether she will face any criminal charges.
The post was met with mixed reactions – with some users outraged by the woman’s mishandling of the animals and others shocked by the absurdity of the story.
‘Hiding it her bra was not the first place I thought she would hid it. LOL,’ one user commented.
Another wrote: ‘Only in Florida.’
But others demanded that the woman face serious consequences.
‘So what are her consequences? Any? Or does she just get told don’t do that again,’ one user commented.
In a now-viral Facebook post, TSA shared the unique story and reminded passengers that while pets are allowed to travel, there are strict guidelines in place
This isn’t the first surprise for TSA agents – who regularly encounter wild smuggling attempts – sometimes involving much larger animals.
In 2023, TSA agents in Florida found a four-foot boa constrictor in a woman’s carry-on bag after her suitcase was passed through an X-ray machine.
The woman told agents at Tampa International Airport that the snake was ‘an emotional support pet,’ a TSA spokesperson said at the time.
The TSA released X-ray images of the snake on Friday. The images showed the animal curled up in the corner of a tray next to ordinary items such as sneakers, a belt, and a laptop.
The agency says it notified the airline which confirmed that it would not allow the snake in the plane’s cabin. The TSA said snakes are never allowed to travel in carry-on luggage and only on some airlines can they be checked-in.
