A deadly poison associated with spies was found concealed inside Cuban maracas at Auckland International Airport.
Two passengers arriving from the Caribbean island of Cuba had declared the percussion instruments to Ministry for Primary Industries biosecurity staff.
X-ray screening revealed the maracas' rattle was cause by red seeds and MPI identified the seed as Abrus precatorius, commonly known as crab's eye or rosary pea.
The seeds contained abrin, a deadly poison associated with spies and biological weaponry.
A single seed contains enough abrin toxin to kill an adult, although its hard shell allows it to be handled or even swallowed without releasing the poison.