Chinese 'spy' lightbulbs intercepted by Egyptian customs agents

Officials at Cairo International Airport say they foiled a plan on Sunday to smuggle a shipment of Chinese-made lightbulbs fitted with hidden cameras.

An official at the cargo terminal told the government-owned al-Ahram newspaper that a worker grew suspicious of a 3kg parcel entering the country from Hong Kong.

After opening the package, officials found three LED light bulbs. Upon further inspection, they were reportedly revealed to contain concealed digital cameras that could be used "for spying purposes".

The package has been seized and legal action is being taken against the package's recipient, according to the newspaper.

This is not the first time Egyptian officials have thwarted what they claim to be elaborate espionage plots.

In 2013, Egyptian police detained a stork on suspicion of spying, after it was spotted with "a mysterious device" attached to its feathers.

The stork had been tagged by zoologists to track its migration, but was killed and eaten days after its release by police officers.