Airport Valentine Flower Check Won’t Let Pests Fly Away

When Dolly Parton arrived at Miami International Airport from Ecuador on Thursday, a federal agent grabbed her by the stems, flipped her upside down, and smacked her against the side of a cardboard box.

Shocking abuse of the enhanced pat-down on a Nashville singing legend?

Actually, it was U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agricultural Specialist Carlos Quintana just doing his job, which is looking for bugs in cut flowers during the pre-Valentine's Day rush.

The Dolly Parton in question is a variety of hypericum, an ornamental plant that florists use as filler in arrangements — not surprisingly, clusters of plump, reddish berries.

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