13 rare iguanas stuffed in socks by smugglers seized at Heathrow Airport
Customs police have seized 13 "incredibly rare" iguanas at Heathrow Airport that had been cruelly stuffed into socks by smugglers.
The endangered San Salvador rock iguanas, of which there are only a few hundred left, were discovered hidden in a suitcase on Monday at Heathrow's Terminal Five after officers stopped two Romanian women who'd arrived from the Bahamas.
Twelve of the creatures survived the journey, but one of them died en route. They were due to be taken on to Dusseldorf in Germany, where they could sell for around £150 each, reports the Daily Mail.
Grant Miller, of the Border Force's endangered species team, told the Independent that it was a "very important seizure" adding: "Given the circumstances we found them in it seems incredible that all but one survived such a long flight.
"The surviving animals were dehydrated and are now under the supervision of a specialist vet. We are also working with experts to find the best way to protect and safeguard these endangered creatures longer term."
According to The Sun, two Romanian women, aged 24 and 26, were arrested on suspicion of importation offences.
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