Does Government Think Prosecuting People for Carrying Apples Going to Stop Terrorists?

@Northwest For all they know the woman could be lying to. Not that she is lying in this case but they don't really draw distinctions like that. Tons of people try to sneak in food. The problem with food and also seeds is that they can give plants various diseases.

Even stuffed and mounted animals have to be fumigated if they don't meet certain requirements. Some are destroyed outright because bugs on the animal carcass can devastate an entire species of animal/plant.

@SatanBurger The inspectors' job is not to interpret the law, but to enforce it, and they can get in trouble for not doing so. I do blame the Airlines, for not making it clear, as in announcements during flights, as they hand out food, etc.

Think of it this way: you're a mother, traveling with three screaming kids, all under the age of 8, on an 14 hour flight. with a few added hours to check in, customs, etc., and you forgot that you have a banana in your carry on, that you saved to feed the screaming infant. This happened to a friend of mine, and she almost got fined for it.

@Northwest I can understand when put that way. I wouldn't like that if it happened to me and it was just accidental.

@beckyromero To me these are completely different issues. Most or at least some of your respondents don't seem to understand that the apple case has nothing to do with terrorism or the national security. It is all about biosecurity. And that of course is how the poor woman in the apple case got into trouble. She was completely unaware that anyone would be worried about her bringing one little apple into the US.

@SensibleJulie
Neither, it appears, was Delta.

Kind of shows what kind of job the government is doing to MAKE people aware if that is the case.

I've flown into America many times and I didn't know about it. When you deplane in New Zealand you see a big sign telling you that you have to declare ANY FOOD you have. Or place it in this bin. (Trash Can to you Americans) Then you have to fill in a form that asks you about food.

But still people get caught with food items that could threaten bosecurity.

Some of it is carefully concealed. I think in other cases it is the result of jetlag.

@Jackaloftheazuresand
The road down that path starts when you begin prosecuting people for the most harmless of infractions and brand them as criminals.

She offered to throw it away. That's all that would have been needed done.

Instead the customs officials starts asking her if her trip from Paris was expensive and then tells her it's going to cost her another $500. She could also lose her Global Entry Status. Who knows? She might even end up on the No Fly List in the future.

@beckyromero You must remember that the government is only capable of punishing law abiding citizens, the illegals can get away with murder.

@sunsporter1649 The government wasn't even capable of discovering two 9/11 terrorists living in the same house as an FBI informer.