Customs discover 138 leeches in luggage at the airport
Customs discovered 138 protected leeches in a woman's luggage at Stuttgart Airport. A spokesperson for the main customs office in Stuttgart said on Monday that the woman had stated that she wanted to use the animals to treat her osteoarthritis.
The lady had wanted to leave the baggage hall on Sunday after her arrival from Istanbul through the exit for undeclared goods. However, customs officers stopped the 62-year-old woman. The officers discovered the live leeches in polystyrene boxes between damp cloths in her luggage. The customs officers confiscated the animals and initiated proceedings against the woman for violating the species protection regulations. The woman will now be fined. The leeches were reportedly taken by customs to a zoological-botanical garden in Stuttgart.
The discovery of leeches sparked interest among the airport's staff, as they were not familiar with transporting such unusual animals. Despite being animals, the leeches were considered curiosities due to their unique use in treating certain medical conditions.
Source: www.dpa.com
