Customs and Border Protection agents seized over three dozen live beetles being smuggled inside Japanese snacks at Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said Wednesday.

CBP agriculture specialists examining an air cargo shipment in January discovered the beetles concealed inside multiple packages of snacks, potato chips and chocolate, the agency said. The contraband was valued at $1,480.

“They may look harmless, but in reality smuggled beetles pose a significant threat to our vital agriculture resources,” CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles Cheryl Davies said. “Beetles can become a serious pest by eating plants, leaves, and roots and by laying eggs on tree bark which damages our forests.”