Thousands of caterpillars ‘discovered by Gatwick chiefs’

Customs officials working at Gatwick Airport were recently stunned to find thousands of dried caterpillars in a passenger's suitcase.

A man attempted to travel through the airport with 94kg of the creatures in his luggage, all of which were intended for personal consumption.

Ingrid Smith, a spokeswoman for Border Force, said: "This was an unusual seizure but the vigilance of our officers has stopped these dried insects from entering the UK and possibly posing a risk to our food chain."

Travellers were reminded that they should not bring any animal products in or out of the UK without a relevant permit.

One of the major risks associated with such a plan is the potential for disease spreading across national boundaries.

The caterpillars had come from Burkina Faso via Istanbul and were the property of a 22-year-old man, who was later let off with just a warning.