Uzbekistan customs officials at Tashkent International Airport uncovered 12 rare bush warblers hidden in a passenger's luggage.
According to Uzdaily, the birds, valued at over $200,000, were found concealed in fruit boxes within the baggage of a traveler arriving from Cam Ranh, Vietnam.
The State Customs Committee of Uzbekistan reported that the passenger had not declared the protected species, clearly intending to smuggle them into the country.
Tragically, three of the birds did not survive the journey due to improper transportation conditions.
A yellow-throated bush warbler - Foto: Wiki Commons
The remaining nine birds are believed to be yellow-throated and white-throated bush warblers, vulnerable species native to South and East Asia.
These elusive songbirds are highly sought after in the illegal wildlife trade, fetching steep prices on the black market.
The passenger, whose identity has not been released, now faces potential criminal charges in Uzbekistan for smuggling protected wildlife.
Meanwhile, wildlife officials are working to rehabilitate the surviving birds with the hope of eventually returning them to their natural habitat.
