Every so often, airport security serves up a reminder that our collective ingenuity is only matched by our willingness to test the boundaries of airport norms—and, in this case, our undergarments. As CBS News reports, TSA agents at Miami International Airport recently discovered a Florida woman attempting to pass two live turtles through a checkpoint by stowing them in her bra. If you’re getting déjà vu (or déjà reptile, perhaps), it’s not your imagination: it’s the second recent incident of its kind.
A Hidden Shell Game
The inventive, if ill-advised, concealment came to light when the woman’s undergarments set off a security alarm. In details provided by TSA and relayed in CBS News and USA TODAY’s coverage, agents searching for a possible concealed item instead found turtles wrapped in gauze and plastic. The agency noted on social media that one turtle did not survive the journey; the other was handed over to the Florida Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Photos accompanying the TSA announcement showed both animals—one contained in gauzy, bandage-like fabric and another in plastic wrap. According to The Sun, which examined the images and statements shared by the agency, the turtles appeared to be Common Musk turtles, though officials did not confirm the species.
This scene prompted a now-viral post from TSA with exasperated clarity: “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.” The agency also punctuated the advice with a groan-worthy pun: “We want you to be able to travel with your pets, and you turtle-ly can, but please travel with them safely.”
Not Their First Rodeo
Grouping details from USA TODAY, TSA officers in Miami evidently recognized this as more of a recurring theme than a unique event. The outlet describes how, earlier this year, a Pennsylvania man concealed a live red-eared slider turtle in his pants at Newark Liberty International Airport. In that episode, advanced imaging technology led to a pat-down, revealing the traveler’s aquatic stowaway—thankfully unharmed, and ultimately impounded by authorities.
The Sun also provides glimpses of similar international capers involving various creatures and questionable luggage choices: a traveler with 100 live snakes reportedly packed into his trousers bound for China, and a man in Thailand discovered with otters and a prairie dog strapped to his body. Stateside, past incidents include attempts to smuggle parrot eggs disguised in clothing and even a cat detected in a Norfolk Airport carry-on—proving that, given a will and some questionable judgment, nearly any animal might find itself part of someone’s travel ensemble.
The Rules: Carried, Not Concealed
Despite the string of clandestine animal adventures, TSA policy is essentially a model of clarity. According to both CBS News and WTSP’s report, travelers are allowed to bring small pets—including turtles—through security checkpoints, provided they’re carried and not hidden in clothing. The animal carrier must go through the X-ray machine, and the animal itself should accompany the owner through screening, frequently without a leash.
Yet time and again, creative interpretations of “personal effects” appear at checkpoints. As The Sun highlights, the TSA has had to remind the public—repeatedly and with a tinge of disbelief—that “carried” means in your hands, not inside a bra, pants, or any other piece of attire turned temporary terrarium.
The Consequences of Improvisation
Unfortunately, the consequences for the animals involved are rarely comic. In this Miami case, the effort to create an impromptu turtle bra turned deadly for one of the reptiles, as both USA TODAY and WTSP confirm. Whether these incidents stem from ignorance of rules, misplaced creativity, or simple denial, the result—at least for the animals—tends to be stress at best and disaster at worst.
Grouped in a single section by The Sun, these oddball smuggling attempts reflect a kind of collective confusion more than outright malice. Still, the persistence of such stories raises questions. Are travelers unaware of the clear rules, or convinced their bypass will succeed where so many others have failed? Why, after years of official guidance (and increasingly dramatic TSA puns), do animals keep turning up concealed among the socks and support garments of unsuspecting agents?
A Final Reflection
It’s tempting to chuckle at the mounting list of airport oddities—who hasn’t wondered about the ultimate “support animal?”—but behind the headlines and incredulous TSA social posts, there’s a clear message. The TSA’s blend of exasperation and advice isn’t just for show; it’s an invitation to take rules seriously, for the sake of both human and non-human travelers. As the cumulative record suggests, travel innovation is not always synonymous with travel wisdom. Is it a uniquely modern problem, or just the latest twist in our eternal urge to bring the whole menagerie along for the ride?
Whatever the case, if your next trip includes a pet, remember: nothing in the guidelines says “pack them in your underwear.” The only shells TSA wants to see are neatly in your hands and definitely not under your clothes.
