The behind the scenes world of catching smuggled animals at the airport

You never know what you might find in confiscated shipments at the Atlanta airport. Sometimes, illegally trafficked snakes or fish could be hidden inside. Over the past decade, over 50,000 live animals have been smuggled into the United States, most notably through airports. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspectors at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport spend a majority of their time assessing cargo filled with all kinds of exotic animals. The AJC's Fraser Jones joins these inspectors to learn more about how these confiscated creatures are processed and how this is just the beginning of their journeys. Credits: AJC | NPR | @TSA_Northeast / X | “The Terminal” / DreamWorks Pictures | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services | Georgia Aquarium