Bulgarian customs agents at Sofia airport have netted an apparent illegal entry into the country: some 107 parrots in four cages that arrived from Lebanon.
But these were no ordinary birds.
They are African Grey Parrots from Gabon, a threatened species, which can fetch between 1,000 and 1,800 euros (1,335 to 2,400 dollars) on the black market in the European Union, the customs agency said in a statement.
The talkative birds sought after as pets were brought into the country by a Bulgarian of Lebanese origin who did not have the necessary papers for transporting the parrots, the agency said.
The African Grey Parrot is on a CITES list which restricts trade of wild caught species.
The 107 parrots have found at least a temporary home, in the Sofia zoo.
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