36 giant snails found in man's luggage at Glasgow Airport

Rex

A collection of 36 live snails have been seized from a man's luggage at Glasgow Airport.

UK Border Force officials found the snails - which were about 15cm long with shells the size of human fists - in a Nigerian passenger's luggage after he arrived from Amsterdam.

He said the molluscs were going to be used as food, according to the Metro.

Customs officials confiscated the gastropods as the man - who was let off with a warning - did not have an import licence.

Murdo MacMillan, from Border Force in Scotland, told the BBC: "The vigilance of our officers at Glasgow airport has stopped these snails from entering Scotland, and possibly posing a risk to our native plants and wildlife.

"I would warn travellers not to attempt to bring live animals into the UK without a permit, or to bring in any products of animal origin which may contain pests or diseases."

Last month, a passenger was caught trying to board a plane with 15 kilograms of caterpillars to keep hunger at bay.

Adrian Onobanjo, 47, allegedly packed dried caterpillars in his bag to take from Togo to Europe.

When customs officers at Switzerland's EuroAirport tried to take his caterpillars away, he stuffed as many as he could into his mouth - while some of them were still wriggling.

Last week, meanwhile, a smuggler was caught trying to hide a live Loris monkey in his underwear at India's Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The suspect from the United Arab Emirates, who was detained along with two other travellers, had arrived from Bangkok, and was about to board a connecting flight to Dubai on Jet Airways.

Related articles

Man caught with 15kg of caterpillars on plane 'addicted to eating them'

Man caught smuggling monkey in pants

Airport smuggler busted with 'virtual zoo' in pants


Sign up to our weekly newsletterFollow us on TwitterBecome a fan on Facebook