In a bizarre incident at Washington Dulles International Airport, an Egyptian national, Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, 70, pleaded guilty to kicking Freddie the Beagle, a customs dog, so hard it became airborne. Freddie was on duty with US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), sniffing out smuggled agricultural products when he alerted to Marie’s luggage, which had arrived on a flight from Cairo.

The bags contained over 100lbs of prohibited food items, including beef, rice, eggplant, cucumbers, bell peppers, corn seeds, and herbs. These items are banned to prevent the introduction of diseases harmful to native flora and fauna. When Freddie did his job, Marie responded with a kick that sent the poor beagle flying.

Marie was sentenced to time served, ordered to cover Freddie’s $840 vet bill, and deported back to Egypt. This incident highlights the critical role these dogs play in protecting our ecosystems and the serious consequences for those who harm them.