Officials find potatoes disguised as chocolates

[November 17, 2009]  MIAMI (AP) -- A traveler who arrived at Miami International Airport earlier this month must pay a $300 penalty for trying to smuggle fresh sweet potatoes from Bolivia into the United States by disguising the vegetables as a candy.

According to a news release, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists discovered the 18 small sweet potatoes in early November.

Officials found the prohibited vegetables in the luggage of a passenger arriving in Miami from Bolivia. The sweet potatoes had been wrapped in the commercial wrappers of a popular Bolivian candy and hadn't been declared.

The sweet potatoes were destroyed and an agent issued $300 fine for the violation.

[Associated Press]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.