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A haul of baby eels, weighing some 45kg, were seized from two Chinese travellers who came to Bulgaria from Spain. Photo: Reuters

Chinese men caught with 2 million baby eels in luggage

AFP

Bulgarian customs seized two million endangered baby eels concealed in the luggage of two Chinese men arriving from Spain, officials said.

The tiny baby eels, or elvers, are seen by some as a speciality.

They fetch about 500 euros (HK$4,370) per kilo in Europe and up to 1,300 euros in Asia, the customs agency said.

The eels were packed in water-filled bags inside eight polystyrene boxes and were placed inside the men’s checked luggage.

The bags weighed 45kg, meaning the haul could potentially have sold for almost 60,000 euros.

European eels (scientific name ) are classed as critically endangered species.

Their sale is heavily regulated in the European Union and cannot be exported outside the bloc.

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