Prosthetic leg hid smuggled reptiles

LONG BEACH, Calif., Sept. 22 (UPI) -- A California man has been charged with smuggling rare iguanas from Fiji in his prosthetic leg.

Agents for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said they found four of Fiji Island banded iguanas in a July raid on the home of Jereme James, 33, of Long Beach, who was indicted Friday.

James allegedly told an undercover agent he trapped three of the endangered reptiles during a trip to Fiji in 2002, smuggled them into the United States in a compartment in his prosthetic leg and then sold them for $32,500, The Los Angeles Daily News reported Saturday.

James has been charged with one count of smuggling and faces up to five years in prison if convicted.