LOS ANGELES >> A famous South American chef said he was stopped as he brought 40 piranhas in a duffel bag through Los Angeles International Airport.

Virgilio Martinez, chef-owner of Central restaurant in Peru, told the Los Angeles Times today that he hoped to serve the predatory, sharp-toothed fish during an L.A. food festival.

Martinez was featured in the third season of the Netflix show “Chef’s Table.”

He said customs agents pulled him into an interrogation room last week when they found the cache of frozen, vacuum-sealed piranhas.

After five hours, the agents let Martinez through with the fish. He used them that night on a salad. The newspaper said the following night he dried the piranha skins and served them inside the piranha heads.

Piranhas are common in South American rivers.