Man caught smuggling parrot eggs and newly-born chicks in luggage at airport

The Guardia Civil at Madrid airport in Spain caught a passenger attempting to smuggle seven newly-born parrot chicks and 11 unhatched eggs onto a plane.



The unusual luggage was in the possession a Chinese passenger transiting through Madrid airport on his way to Hong Kong from Paraguay.

The 27-year-old was caught as he passed through a security check at the transit gate. He was carrying a specially adapted case fitted with a climate control and ventilation system.



It is illegal to take parrots out of Paraguay without a special licence. Seprona, the animal and environmental crime unit of the Guardia Civil said the birds would be cared for until they could be returned to their country of origin.