State agriculture officials said the animal likely died before the charcoal was shipped to Hawaii from outside the state.
NAHIKU, Hawaii — A Maui man preparing huli huli chicken at a roadside barbecue found a dead snake inside a bag of charcoal, leading police to contact state agriculture officials about the unusual discovery in a state where snakes pose serious biosecurity concerns.
Roy Hanks was working the grill at Hana Hawaiian BBQ at Nahiku Marketplace on Oct. 17 when he opened a charcoal bag and saw the snake, according to Hawaii News Now. His wife, Sharon Fillazar-Hanks, who manages the business, said Hanks sent her a photograph after making the discovery. She initially thought he was playing a prank before realizing the animal was real and dead.
Fillazar-Hanks contacted the Maui Police Department, which responded to the marketplace and consulted the Hawaii Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity’s quarantine officials. Police said state officials advised that the dead snake could be disposed of. Authorities did not report finding any additional snakes in connection with the bag.
The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity confirmed that the charcoal had been packaged outside Hawaii. Department public information officer Jai Cunningham said the snake was probably already dead when the charcoal was packed in its place of origin. State officials have encountered comparable situations involving imported materials in which snakes entered products before processing and were unintentionally shipped to Hawaii, Cunningham said.
Officials had not confirmed the snake’s species. Based on photographs, however, state agriculture officials said it appeared likely to be a nonvenomous rat snake. Fillazar-Hanks said people who viewed images had offered different opinions about what kind of snake it was, underscoring that no definitive species identification had been made.
The discovery drew added attention because Hawaii closely regulates snakes and other animals that could threaten native species. State agriculture officials have said snakes have no natural predators in the islands and can compete with native wildlife for food and habitat. Some species can also prey on birds and eggs, making the prevention of accidental introductions an important part of the state’s biosecurity system.
The charcoal bag’s specific place of origin was not identified in the reports reviewed, and officials did not publicly explain how the snake entered the bag. The available evidence indicated that the animal was dead before it arrived at the Maui barbecue rather than a live snake entering the business after the charcoal reached Hawaii.
Hana Hawaiian BBQ operates at Nahiku Marketplace along the Hana Highway in East Maui. The restaurant was preparing chicken for lunch when the snake was discovered. No injuries or food-related illnesses were reported in connection with the incident, and there was no indication that the snake came into contact with food being served to customers.
State officials had not announced further action connected to the charcoal shipment as of the latest reports. The snake’s exact species and the precise point at which it entered the bag remained unconfirmed.
Author note: Last updated October 26, 2026.