- A Chinese traveller dug up an colony of ants in Africa and filled it in his suitcase
- Chinese customs officials inspected his luggage and found a 9.9lbs ant colony
- The man claimed to use the ants to make medicinal wine to alleviate pain
A Chinese flight passenger was caught by customs officials for attempting to smuggle a 9.9lbs live ant colony from east Africa.
The unnamed man filled his red suitcase with an entire colony of ants and did not send declaration to the customs at a Chinese airport.
He claimed the golden-coloured ants had strong medicinal effects and he prepared to make wine using the ants.
A man smuggled a colony of live ants in his suitcase from Ethiopia to China on March 18
The ant colony weighs 9.9 lbs and carries hundreds of gold-coloured live ants
According to btime.com, the Chinese traveller took flight no. ET 636 of Ethiopian Airlines and landed at Shuangliu Airport in Chengdu, southwest China on March 18.
A customs officer caught the man’s luggage appeared in a cluster of unusual shadows under the baggage scan.
The officer opened the luggage and shocked to find a colony of live ants filled in the compartment.
The colony weighed about 4.4 kilograms (9.9 lbs), stated the airport customs.
The passenger explained he dug up the ant colony during his visit in Addis Ababa, capital city of Ethiopia.
The man said he dug up the ant colony and thought to brew wine using the gold-coloured ants
He believed the ants had strong medicinal value and he planned to brew them into wine at home.
According to traditional Chinese herbology, ant wine is commonly use to alleviate pain caused by arthritis.
Shuangliu Airport customs claimed it was the biggest seizure involving live ants and ant colony.
It was not sure if the man has faced any charges.
The ant colony is now passed onto the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.