German woman attempts to smuggle 103 birds, caught

A German woman attempted to board a plane from Venezuela to France with 103 tropical birds hidden in her luggage, some of them endangered species, authorities said.

The birds were in boxes in her baggage when she was stopped Friday at a Caracas airport and the National Guard carried out a search, state prosecutors said. The woman was charged “for the alleged offence of aggravated and planned smuggling,” said officials responsible for environmental protection law.