A woman wearing a jewel-encrusted live beetle as a brooch was entering America from Mexico when she was stopped by customs officers at a border outpost in Brownsville, Texas.
The insect which is studded with gemstones and gold, was fastened to her sweater by a gold chain and safety pin but was able to wander on her jumper.
She declared the live insect to officials and said she had bought it in Mexico as a brooch but it was immediately confiscated by pest control.
Officials refused to allow her to keep the live jewellery because she did not have the correct documents.
Because the woman had declared the insect correctly, she was not handed any fine or penalty.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized the decorative clothing accessory and sent the live beetle to the Plant Inspection Station at Los Indios International Bridge for further identification.
Moving live plant pests in any form into or out of the United States has to be declared to CBP on PPQ form 526 declaration for importation or exportation, must be properly labelled and packaged prior to release by CBP.
Beetles are a popular subject for jewellery, going back for centuries. It is thought to be relatively common in Mexico for live ones to be decorated in this way, but apparently not.
Jackie Kennedy was rumoured to have been given a living brooch with emeralds when she was America's first lady.
Via - Daily Mail
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Weird News
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