Prohibited creature hid in couple’s backpack at Texas border, officials say

Something illegal was hiding in an American couple’s backpack as they crossed the Mexico border into the United States — and it wasn’t drugs, officials say.

As the 20-year-old man and 21-year-old woman attempted to enter the U.S. at the Anzalduas International Bridge on April 6, border officials found the conspicuous cargo inside their Chevrolet Equinox, according to an April 9 news release.

As officials opened the backpack for an inspection, they discovered a spider monkey, an animal “prohibited from importation as pets,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.

“Some monkeys are protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,” officials said in the news release. “Their importation is regulated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

The couple was arrested, officials said. The spider monkey, meanwhile, was relocated to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville.

It was one of two major discoveries made at the Hidalgo Port of Entry on April 6.

The other, border officials say, happened at the Hidalgo International Bridge when officers began inspecting a Ford Explorer driven by a Mexican national.

“Following a thorough secondary inspection which included a nonintrusive imaging system scan and a canine examination, CBP officers discovered 28 packages containing 73.41 pounds of alleged cocaine hidden within the vehicle,” according to the border officials.

Officials said the Mexican national was arrested, and the drugs were seized.

The Hidalgo Port of Entry is about a 245-mile drive south from San Antonio.

This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 11:45 AM with the headline "Prohibited creature hid in couple’s backpack at Texas border, officials say."