Bird
BirdArutz Sheva

Israel Airport Authority officials discovered two Arab minors attempting to smuggle dozens of European goldfinches through the Allenby crossing on the Israel-Jordan border.

Native to the region, goldfinches are considered to be expensive birds, worth between 500-1500 NIS apiece.

The birds were discovered beneath the pair's clothing, after security personnel heard chirping sounds and noticed the Arabs' clothing was moving slightly.

After conducting a body search, security discovered each suspect was carrying 19 birds in his pants legs. The smugglers, a boy from Hevron and a girl from Ramallah, were later questioned by the Ministry of Agriculture.

The security guards forced the youths to release the birds, which were then returned to Jordan.