Creepy contraband found at Gatwick

Border force officers seized an unusual kind of contraband.

Officers at Gatwick Airport discovered 94 kilos of dried insects after stopping a 22-year-old man travelling from Burkina Faso via Istanbul.

When officers checked his luggage they found tens of thousands of dried caterpillars wrapped in cellophane.

The man claimed the creepy crawlies were for personal consumption and they were to be used as food, but the haul breached controls on the importation of animal products and they were confiscated.

Officers warned the hungry traveller about the restrictions on bringing dried insects into the country.

He was told his snacks would be destroyed.

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Comments(1)

Serf says...
1:37pm Sun 3 Mar 13

These caterpillars are known in South Africa as mopani worms. They are very high in protein and can be eaten as a dried crispy snack. They are also eaten in soup/stews. It is possible to buy tinned mopani worms in tomato sauce.

I have eaten them. Not my food of choice but not as revolting as one might imagine. I have also eaten termites which are another African delicacy. They were quite pleasant in taste.

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