Indonesian passenger arrested for Ssmuggling parrots
Taipei, Nov. 3 (CNA) An Indonesian passenger was arrested for trying to smuggle 28 parrots into Taiwan, custom officials reported Wednesday. The officials said the Indonesian, identified as Sugiharto, arrived at CKS International Airport aboard a China Airlines plane Tuesday night, whereupon customs officials found the 28 parrots hidden in his luggage. As the parrots are from an area affected by avian flu, custom officials immediately asked the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine under the Council of Agriculture to send staff to deal with the birds, which were put into quarantine. Specimens taken from the parrots were also sent to the inspection bureau for examination. For safety reasons, customs officials notified all the passengers on the plane to take self health-management measures and to look out for flu symptoms. The officials also urged passengers not to carry animals or related products from epidemic-affected areas, saying that culprits face prison terms of more than three years. (By Lilian Wu) ENDITEM/J