Man brings horde of slimy bloodsuckers on plane in carry-on
A man has been fined after attempting to smuggle almost 5000 leeches into Canada. Environment Climate Change Canada
Ippolit Bodounov of Niagara Falls was caught trying to smuggle almost 5000 live leeches into the country in October last year, according to a Canadian government media release.
Bodounov had hidden the bloodsuckers in a re-usable grocery bag in his carry-on baggage, CBC reported.
But his environmentally-friendly choice of conveyance was somewhat offset by the fact that the medicinal leeches were subject to regulations aimed at controlling the illegal wildlife trade.
The slimy invertebrates are in so much demand that illegally harvesting them from the wild is considered a major threat to the species.
Bodounov, who was returning to Canada on a flight from Russia, pleaded guilty this week.
