Russian police find half a ton of caviar in speeding hearse

A speeding hearse stopped by traffic police in Russia’s far east was found to be packed with half a tonne (1,100lb) of caviar.

The driver and his partner, who both work for a funeral director, told the police they had been hired by a man in a village outside Khabarovsk who asked them to take the casket with the body of a female relative to a city morgue.

There were bags under funeral flowers, with plastic containers filled with caviar instead, according to Lieutenant Colonel of Police Elena Alekseeva.

The prized delicacy – the salt-cured eggs of sturgeon fish that were originally found mainly in the Caspian Sea – fetches around US$100 (RM426.72 ) for a tiny 125 gramm jar. Otherwise only indigenous peoples of Russia’s north can obtain permits to fish for sturgeon and produce caviar.

Poaching, however, remains a major problem and smuggling is thought to be widespread.

Police footage from the night time raid showed officers pick through the hearse’s cargo, holding up tupperware containers with the greenish-black fish roe inside.

Opening the coffin, the police discovered there was no corpse inside, but a huge quantity of black caviar. The driver and his companion were promised 25,000 rubles (about $400) for the trip, RIA Novosti reported.

Officers are examining the source of the fishy stash and could bring charges for illegal distribution and production.