551 songbirds have been confiscated by the Customs Department. The birds – haw finches, siskins, green finches, serins, and chaffinches - were found in a van which arrived from Sicily.

They were found in 18 wooden boxes hidden among several containers of oranges. The birds, which are believed to have been caught in southern Italy and were destined to be illegally sold, were transferred to the government’s quarantine section while the vehicle was retained for further investigations.

The birds were set free under the supervision of planning authority officers on the morrow.