Customs officers at Bristol Airport west of London found an unusual haul of contraband this week in a traveler's luggage - 500 lizards.
The Times newspaper reported Saturday that the discovery was made during a random check on a passenger who had gotten off a flight from Ibiza, a resort island off the east coast of Spain. The unidentified passenger picked the "nothing-to-declare" exit at customs.The man was asked to open his bags. He balked.
One of the bags, he said, had a few 2-inch brown lizards. When the suitcase was examined, 500 Ibiza wall lizards were found inside.
Most of the reptiles were alive. They were each worth $54.
After confiscating the lizards, the officers turned them over to a zoo with the intention of having them returned to the wild.
No charges were filed against the man, who said he was trying to recoup the cost of his vacation.