Airport customs in Melbourne, Australia found that a man was carrying bird eggs in his pocket before also noticing that he had two live pigeons wrapped in paper and stuffed inside his pants.
The 23-year-old Australian had just returned on a flight from Dubai. If convicted of smuggling charges, the man could face 10 years in prison and/or a $70,430 fine, according to local reports.
“Wildlife smuggling is not only cruel to the animals involved, it poses a severe risk to the Australian environment and the health of the Australian community,” said customs spokesman Richard Janeczko. “It is important that people declare all animal and plant materials to customs and border protection when they enter Australia.”
Customs added that they have no idea what the man intended to use the pigeons for, but that he was also carrying a money belt holding plant seeds and “samples of eggplant.”
Images: Australian Customs Service
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Alex Felsinger
Alex is primarily concerned with animal welfare, wildlife conservation, and environmental justice. As a freelance writer in San Francisco, he leads a deliberately simplistic and thrifty lifestyle, yet still can’t help gawking at the newest green gadgets and zero-emission concept cars.
3 Responses to Airport Security Catches Man with Two Pigeons Stuffed Down Pants
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this one cracks me up BIGTIME!
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@Chris:
the cruelty aspect hasn’t even sunk in yet … I’m still trying to think of what could POSSIBLY possess me to stuff my pants with pigeons.
What a big, hairy moron. How anyone could be so cruel to stuff two live birds in his pants for hours on end is just beyond me… My only question is: What endangered pigeon species lives in Dubai?