A Californian couple are having something of a torrid time in Africa, ending up detained in Tanzania after buying a souvenir in South Africa.

It all began when Jon and Linda Grant bought a 45cm giraffe bone with a herd of elephants carved into it from a curio shop in Durban. They went as far as to enquire about the curio’s legality, and were assured by the clerk that all was above board.

The wheels came off after they flew from Kenya to Tanzania, as outlined below on NY Daily News:

A baggage checker asked to look at the elegant souvenir more closely and questioned the couple about where they got it.

Suddenly, the Grants’ plane tickets were cancelled and they were hauled away in a van.

“The giraffe is our national animal,” Jon was told.

The frightened husband and wife spent two nights in jail and a night in prison and were told they were looking at 20 years behind bars and a $150,000 fine for poaching.

“I never knew I could be that afraid. I didn’t know there was a fear level that high,” Linda[said].

To get out, they ended up needing the help of their Congresswoman – but they also had to pay a bribe.

“They said, ‘Are you willing to pay it?’ We said, ‘absolutely.’ Cost us $30,000 for buying a souvenir plus another $30,000 in bribes to get out of the country,” Jon recalled.

“It is a nightmare and there have been nightmares since we got home from it,” said Linda.

You may not be surprised to find out that they plan to slow down on the travels, going as far as to say that they don’t plan on leaving the U.S. for the foreseeable future.

You say that now, wait until Trump wins the Republican nomination…

[source:nydailynews]