Armadillo Meat Seized At Swiss Border

There is plenty of excellent food to be had in Europe, but sometimes people go to extremes to get the one thing they just can't find locally, as in the case of a man who was arrested this week for trying to smuggle a car full of armadillo meat into Switzerland.

According to The Local, a Frenchman who lives in Switzerland was crossing back into the country from France when customs officials found a pile of exotic meat hidden in a suitcase in his trunk. Although he said he had nothing to declare, officials say the man had one snake head, a few pieces of Nile crocodile, and parts of two armadillos wrapped up in plastic bags to enjoy later. Altogether, he had 35 pounds of illegal meat in his car. The meat reportedly originated in Cameroon.

Once caught, the driver said he had no idea what was in the suitcase, and said he was just taking it to some acquaintances in Zurich and had not bothered to ask if it was full of armadillo meat. Armadillo is a protected species in Switzerland.

The meat has been seized by customs and will be destroyed for health concerns, as it cannot be confirmed that the meat was processed safely.