A Canadian traveler was hit with a US$11,000 fine last week for attempting to smuggle nearly 5,000 live leeches on a flight.
Ippolit Bodounov of Niagara Falls, Ontario, arrived at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport with 4,788 leeches hidden in his carry-on bag, according to prosecutors.
An airport sniffer dog picked up the scent.
The leeches were found to be the Hirudo verbena variety, which is one of only two species of medicinal leech which require a permit for importation.
He pleaded guilty to the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act.
"These species are regulated because over-harvesting of medicinal leeches from the wild is a major threat to the species," said government agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Bodounov was thought to be the first person in Canada convicted of importing the species.
"This is our first large-scale illegal leech import," said Gerry Brunet, operations manager for the ECCC’s wildlife enforcement directorate.
