True, it doesn't call the import() method as use would, but it does run any code in the module up to the "1;" (or similar) return-code. In other words, if the module has any initialization code (including BEGIN blocks, and in 5.6 onward CHECK and INIT blocks), that code will be executed by the script you are demonstrating.

You really are better-served by combining File::Find with the pre-defined @INC array as the list of directories to search over.

--rjray