An Australian pigeon fancier was apprehended at Melbourne airport today for smuggling two birds into the country - while stuffed inside his trousers.

The 23-year-old man wrapped the pair of pigeons in newspaper and concealed one on the inside of each of his legs for the duration of a ten-hour flight from Dubai. Customs officials say he would have escaped detection if they had not discovered two eggs hidden in his pocket and decided to carry out a full body search.

The officers also uncovered seeds inside a money belt hidden in his luggage and an undeclared aubergine in his holdall.

Australia has some of the strictest customs laws in the world. As an island nation it is particularly fearful of importing new animals or plant life, which could spread disease or threaten its native species.

If the man is charged with wildlife smuggling he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a fine of 110,000 Australian dollars (£49,312).

Richard Janeczko, national investigations manager for the customs service, said: “Wildlife smuggling is not only cruel to the animals involved, it poses a severe risk to the Australian environment and the health of the Australian community.

“The man was taken to a private interview room and customs and border protection officers found he was wearing tights with a live pigeon concealed in each leg.”

Mr Janeczko said the pigeons were not endangered and that the birds, eggs and seeds had been turned over to the Quarantine Service to assess the health risk associated with bringing the birds into the country.

It is not known whether the birds were of the racing variety or simply had sentimental significance for the alleged smuggler.

Joan Savage, from the Abbeyton pigeon lofts in Ayrshire, Scotland, said the most highly rated competitive birds could cost as much as £500,000, although it was far more common for homing pigeons to change hands for around £100.

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