Police Arrest Serial Sea Cucumber Smuggler (That's Not A Euphemism)

You probably don't waste an ounce of your time thinking about sea cucumbers but maybe you should because these things are apparently so valuable that people are risking a lot to smuggle them through airport security.

According to The Miami New Times, police apprehended a woman named Xiao Pingping who was caught attempting to smuggle some sea cukes into the US of A.

Why sea cucumbers? Wait, first, what even is a sea cucumber?

Well, despite the name that is a nod to the veggie world, they're in the same family as sea creatures like starfishes and sea urchins.

Sea cucumbers are legally farmed around the world, but there are still a lot of dead ones being trafficked on the black market.

They're typically used in food, with varieties fetching some high prices. In China, they also have a reputation for being an aphrodisiac.

So there are people out there on the lookout for some good sea cucumbers.

A tray of (probably) legal sea cucumbers. (Getty Images)

Xiao's Sea Cucumber Smuggling Habits Caught Up To Her

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service caught up with Xiao after trying to track her down for a year. That was because she had already been on their radar for sending an illegal package containing 435 sea cucumbers, 33 sea horses, and 16 shark fins to a Florida resident in January 2022.

You've got to hand it to Xiao because she tried to talk her way out of it. If authorities find a bunch of sea cukes in your luggage then it should be instant guilt. Especially if you have a record.

However, she tried to say that they weren't sea cucumbers, and were instead, fish-belly products. I guess that was supposed to calm the situation down, but alas, it did not.

The humble sea cucumber incidents aren't the only mark on Xiao's record. She got in trouble for shipping frozen caiman as well as hammerhead and mako shark fins to Brazil in 2021.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle