US Embassy: don’t carry salami or sanchocho in luggage

The US Embassy in the Dominican Republic recalled that it is prohibited to travel to the United States with pork products in the suitcase.

With a humorous video titled “Pigs don’t fly”, the agency explained that travelers should avoid transporting products containing pork, among which they mention pork rinds, bacon, longaniza, salami and foods that contain it such as sancocho. Those who fail to comply with these regulations could be fined.

“I had 10 little pigs and one went to the airport, and from there they returned him, and if he slipped in (showing the little pig getting into a suitcase), they would give him a fine. Don’t carry that, pigs don’t fly”, says the song that accompanies the video.

In the video, the Embassy stressed that, although African swine fever does not represent a danger to humans, and is only spread between pigs, its spread must be prevented.

Dozens of Dominicans have been caught traveling with pork products like salami, sancocho, and longaniza, to share with their friends and family in the USA.

“When traveling by air or sea, remember to avoid transporting pork and its derivatives such as ham, salami, pork rinds, ham, longaniza, among others. By loading pork products in your suitcase you can transmit African Swine Fever (ASF) without The disease is not dangerous for humans but it is for pigs and could harm the economic well-being of people who specialize in pig farming”.

In the middle of last year, an outbreak of swine fever was reported in the country, and some 157,000 pigs were slaughtered in the affected provinces and the Dominican State paid more than one billion pesos as compensation to producers.

At the beginning of 2022, the authorities assured that although the disease had not been completely eradicated, it was 100% controlled.