Forget Drugs?

Man Caught 'Smuggling' Bear Out Of Russia

Russian customs have caught a man trying to smuggle a live bear out of the country.

Kesha', an elderly and endangered bear, was hidden under a blanket between two seats in the man's van.

Pictures shows 23-year-old Kesha looking sad and bedraggled, though she appears to show some affection towards her owner, Anatoly Kolodenko.

Customs officials detained the pair saying Kolodenko did not declare the bear and has no documentation for her.

Kolodenko claimed to be a circus performer returning home to Crimea. He said he and now-retired Kesha had performed around the world together.

"There are situations where people exploit animals for money - but I have no commercial interests.

"They have been telling me I have to euthanize her. But I can't do it. I can't kill my own child."

Kesha's fate is yet undecided. She may end up in a zoo as with previous smuggling cases.