Russian man caught attempting to smuggle orang-utan in luggage

A Russian man stuffed a sleeping orang-utan into his luggage, hoping he could smuggle it out of Indonesia to be raised “like a baby”.

This handout picture taken and released on March 23, 2019 by the Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Bali shows a rescued two-year-old orang-utan resting inside a rattan basket, after a smuggling attempt by a Russian tourist at Bali's international airport in Denpasar. — Indonesian authorities on March 22 arrested a Russian tourist for attempting to smuggle an orang-utan out of the country in his suitcase. (Photo by Handout / Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Bali / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE — MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION AGENCY OF BALI" — NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS — DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

A Russian man thought he could get away with bringing an ape on a plane.

Andrei Zhestkov, 27, stuffed the stowaway — a sleeping orang-utan — in his luggage, officials at Bali Airport in Indonesia said.

A sedated two-year-old orang-utan inside a basket following the arrest of a Russian national who allegedly tried to smuggle the ape out of Bali. Picture: BKSDA Bali/AP

According to the New York Post he had a few other travelling companions: two live gekkos and five lizards.

Officials quoted the man-agerie as saying he wanted to keep the two-year-old male primate as a pet.

Conservation official Ketut Catur Marbawa said Zhestkov was “prepared, like he was transporting a baby.”

Detained Russian national Andrei Zhestkov (C), accused of smuggling a two-year-old orang-utan in a rattan basket. Picture: Natural Resources Conservation Agency of Bali/AFP

He took along baby food and allergy pills, which he fed his prospective pet to make it sleep.

Zhestkov, who had been planning to fly back to Russia, claimed the protected animal was given to him by a friend who bought it for $3,000 ($A4233) at a street market in Java.

A caregiver bottle-feeds a rescued two-year-old orang-utan after a smuggling attempt by a Russian tourist at Bali's airport in Denpasar. Picture: AFP

Orang-utans are endangered and Zhestkov could face as much as five years prison and a $7,000 ($A9862) fine.

This story first appeared in the New York Post and is republished with permission.

Originally published as Russian man caught attempting to smuggle orang-utan in luggage