An Australian traveller raised eyebrows and the suspicions of customs officers after he was found with two live pigeons and an aubergine down his pants.Customs officials said the 23-year-old man was caught at Melbourne Airport (Australia) following a trip to the Middle East.Officials searched the man after they discovered two eggs hidden in a vitamin container in his luggage. .Customs Service national investigations manager Richard Janeczko said the pigeons were found wrapped in padded envelopes and held to each of the man's legs with a pair of tights.

Officials also seized seeds in his money belt and an undeclared aubergine, but are at a loss to explain why the goods were smuggled into the country. (Australia)Mr Janeczko said the pigeons were not endangered and that the case had been turned over to the Quarantine Service to assess the health risk associated with bringing the birds into the (country)Australia has one of the strictest quarantine regulations in the world in a bid to protect  the isolated island's native flora and fauna.Offenders face a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail and a fine of  $110,000 Australian dollars (£48,600) for the illegal importation of wildlife, plants and food. The alleged bird smuggler, who arrived in Melbourne (Australia) on Sunday was being questioned and The Quarantine Service would not comment on the continuing investigation.

if the pigeons were racing pigeons, I could perhaps understand...

BUT AN AUBERGINE??????????????????????

yey but an aubergine?

The guy obviously isnt the smartest cookie - maybe he brought the aubergine for feeding the pidgeons.!.!

Maybe the two pigeons were spies? and were to be carrying a message back to Middle East maybe?

haha!! , i watch to many movies!

maybe someone told him that was a way of getting a cock in his pants

To PeterH61, Strange comment for someone who' posts are normally very intelligent, or are you just looking for a bite. Alot of the "prison screws " were actually "trustys" - well behaved convicts sometimes guilty of the heinous crime of stealing food to feed their families at a time when the great British Empire couldn't.

....and by the way thanks for all the rabbits and foxes that were introduced before the quarantine servicecame about.

Posted by Ronacoll [ 4 February 2009 | 3:04AM ] To PeterH61, Strange comment for someone who' posts are normally very intelligent, or are you just looking for a bite. Alot of the "prison screws " were actually "trustys" - well behaved convicts sometimes guilty of the heinous crime of stealing food to feed their families at a time when the great British Empire couldn't.

....and by the way thanks for all the rabbits and foxes that were introduced before the quarantine servicecame about.

Only on TF, could a journal about an Aussie trying to smuggle into his own country, 2 pigeons down his strides, WITH TIGHTS ON, develope into a slagging match..

I could have said more but we are not doing to well in the cricket at the moment and I knew that would come back to bite me.

Hmmm,All those Aust coaches you've poached over the years have worked wonders haven't they, but I think you have as many problems with your cricketers as we do so it should be interesting.

Australia has one of the strictest quarantine regulations in the world in a bid to protect the isolated island's native flora and fauna.

Thats true on the import/customs side of things.

But on the other side of the coin Australia are one of the dirtiest exporters there are, spiders flora/fauna, Dirt, bird ****, just to name a few, India and China have a far superior attitude when comes to export cleanliness and packaging.

very strict rules in Aus

Strange.

Was he wearing budgie smugglers? Wish they'd stop giving Australian residency to poms.

PeterH,No afraid not, Icome from Irish/Scottish stock who arrived here well into the 20th century. Sorry to dissapoint you, though I do find our short history interesting.

strange....

I think the guy was from Sydney originally which explains alot!!!!

It's a nice 30 cel today here in Convictland, what's it in the UK about minus 30!!! lol lol!!!!!!!