German customs officers confiscated three protected tortoises after a man tried to smuggle them into the country disguised as a dessert.
The 69-year old was stopped at Schönefeld Airport in Berlin after arriving on a flight from Cairo.
Asked about the contents of a patisserie box, he claimed the objects inside were chocolate.
The authorities, however, discovered three live Moroccan tortoises.
Trafficking the reptiles can lead to a fine of €50,000 or up to five years in prison.
