U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials say they intercepted harmful pests at the Pembina port of entry on April 4th.

Agriculture Specialists discovered Khapra beetles in a person-to-person shipment manifested as food, clothes and spices from Kuwait.

“The Khapra beetle is a dangerous pest to American agriculture,” said CBP Area Port Director Jason Schmelz. “This discovery is an excellent example of how dedicated our Agriculture Specialists are in protecting our Nation’s crops and food supply.”

The whole shipment was seized and destroyed to prevent an infestation of the pest.

The Khapra beetle is an extremely serious threat to grain and other stored products. Native to India, the beetle has spread to other countries in Africa, the Middle East, the Near East, and pockets of Europe and Eastern Asia.

The Khapra beetle is considered one of the world’s most destructive pests of grain products and seeds.