Huge caterpillar haul seized at Gatwick airport

A huge haul of dried caterpillars has been seized at Gatwick Airport during a luggage check. A 22-year-old man travelling from Burkina Faso via Istanbul was stopped on Saturday with 94kg (207lb) of dried caterpillars in four hessian bags.

The man claimed the tens of thousands of caterpillars were to be used as food and were for personal consumption. The UK Border Force said it was among the largest finds of its kind at the airport. The Border Force discovered the stash in the mans luggage, shrink-wrapped in plastic.



The man was warned about the restrictions on bringing dried insects into the UK. Ingrid Smith from Border Force, said: "I would warn travellers not to attempt to bring any products of animal origin into the UK without a permit, as they may not have been inspected to appropriate standards and may contain diseases."

Restrictions apply to products made from meat, dairy, fish, eggs and honey as well as some fruit, vegetables and plants. The insects are to be destroyed, the force said.