Turkish customs officers have apprehended a plane passenger attempting to smuggle more than 1,200 bees.
Customs enforcement teams at Istanbul Sabiha Gökcen International Airport seized 1,240 live honeybees from 205 transparent boxes during a routine luggage inspection, according to Turkish newspapers.
The discovery was made when airport authorities conducted an X-ray scan of the passenger’s baggage.
The insects were identified as Carniolan honeybees (Apis mellifera carnica), a subspecies of the domesticated western honeybee (Apis mellifera). Being described as flexible, gentle and physically robust, it is very popular among beekeepers.
The identity of the traveller – who reportedly arrived from overseas – has not been revealed. The Turkish ministry of commerce did not provide information concerning a fine or charges.
Turkey is one of the main producers of honey in the world. On a global market dominated by Chinese honey farms, the country takes third place behind the EU-27, with Iran in fourth and Argentina in fifth.
