Man Fears Consequences After Accidentally Bringing Illegal Item Into US

A man from Tennessee told Newsweek he fears he could face penalties after bringing an illegal object into the United States via plane, but the item in question might surprise you. In a post shared on TikTok in February under the username @dylanobyrne, 30-year-old social-media personality, Dylan O'Byrne, says that, after 40 hours of international travel, he was stopped at baggage claim after security dogs smelled the item in his carry-on bag. "I brought an illegal item to the United States the other day. and now I might be banned from Global Entry, and I might be getting a nice size fine in the mail," he says in the post. O'Byrne adds that, after traveling to Southeast Asia for three weeks, he was flying back to New York City via Germany on January 31. He was then stopped by border protection agents at baggage claim because of something their dogs smelled in his bag, a banana he had picked up at the lounge on his layover in Germany. O'Byrne told Newsweek: "A dog came over, sniffing around, and my parents and I were all wondering what it was looking for, as it seemed particularly interested in our bags. The agent made some polite small talk as his dog sat down, signaling, 'I found something.' The handler then asked if we had anything we shouldn't, to which we replied no. "But then, he reached into our carry-on bag and pulled out … a banana. He asked whose it was. My mother had been holding onto it for me, but since it was mine, I wasn't about to let her take the blame. I admitted ownership, and he took my passport, scanned it, and simply said, 'Have a good day.' "As they walked away, the other agent added, 'There will be penalties for that.' And that was it. No further explanation.

"I was rightfully flabbergasted. I know what can and can't be brought across borders—I've traveled my entire life, visited over 20 countries, and explored all 50 states thoroughly. But the way this was handled struck me as odd." At this time, O'Byrne has not received a fine, nor has he tried to apply for Global Entry, which he fears may be denied to him because of the banana. Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for preapproved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States, which members can enjoy at selected airports across the country. This program's goal is to speed travelers through the process, although, according to the CBP website, members may still be selected for further examination. It can be revoked when violations occur. Anthony Bucci, spokesperson for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), told Newsweek: "Privacy policy prohibits CBP from discussing the details of any individual's specific inspection; however, all agriculture items must be declared. Prohibited items that are not declared by a passenger are confiscated and disposed of by CBP. "More importantly, civil penalties may be assessed for failure to declare prohibited agricultural products and may range up to $1,000 per first-time offense for noncommercial quantities. If the items are determined to be for commercial use, violations will be assessed at a much-higher rate," Bucci said. The list of prohibited and restricted items, as found on the CBP website, includes alcohol, biological materials, firearms, food and produce such as fruits and vegetables, soil, wildlife, fish, and gold, among other items. You can read the full list here. While O'Byrne said he acknowledges his mistake, he added authorities should ensure that those who "knowingly break the law face consequences while those who make an honest mistake are treated with fairness." O'Byrne said: "If any lawmakers or authorities happen to see this, I would hope they take into account the distinction between an honest mistake and an intentional attempt to circumvent border regulations. The laws that protect our borders are crucial, but so is applying them with fairness and discretion. "I completely respect the need for border security, but I also hope there's room for common sense in how penalties are applied. Laws meant to protect our nation should focus on real threats, not travelers who make a minor, unintentional error after 40 hours in transit," O'Byrne added. The video quickly went viral on social media and has so far received over 827,000 views and more than 38,200 likes on the platform. One user, Twitcher | Cool Gadgets, commented: "It's a serious violation. Fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc., can carry bugs or disease that can impact our agriculture." Erika DeMaggio posted: "Oof. I travel internationally a ton, and I know people are giving you a hard time in the comments, but I could totally see doing this, snagging something from the lounge en route. Good luck!" Roy B added, "Brought an apple by mistake in 1998, at the global entry interview in 2023, the officer wanted to remind me that I should know better than bringing fruit into the country," confirming that he was approved for Global Entry in the end. Do you have any videos or pictures you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some extra details and they could appear on our website.