Given a package name like 'foo.bar.quux', imports the package
    and returns the desired module.

def import_package(name):
    """Given a package name like 'foo.bar.quux', imports the package
    and returns the desired module."""
    import zipimport
    try:
        mod = __import__(name)
    except ImportError:
        clear_zipimport_cache()
        mod = __import__(name)

    components = name.split('.')
    for comp in components[1:]:
        mod = getattr(mod, comp)
    return mod