According to media reports, a man traveling into China was caught attempting to smuggle over 100 live snakes of various sizes in his pants.
According to Guangming Net, on the 10th, the Shenzhen Huanggang Customs in China released a statement saying, “A male traveler who remains unidentified, was stopped by customs officers while trying to smuggle over 100 live snakes hidden in the pants he was wearing.”
Officials said the man tried to bring the snakes from Hong Kong into the Chinese border city of Shenzhen. Customs authorities caught him in Fujian Province as he tried to escape.
Upon inspection, customs officers discovered that the pockets of the passenger’s trousers were packed with six canvas drawstring bags sealed with tape. 104 live snakes of various types, sizes, and colors were found.
The snakes reportedly consist of exotic species, including milk snakes, hog-nosed snakes, and corn snakes.
Chinese customs authorities have announced that they plan to handle this case according to related domestic regulations, including its biosecurity law and law on the Entry and Exit of Animals and Plants Quarantine.
According to AFP, China is the world’s largest hub for illegal wildlife trade, but the authorities have strengthened crackdowns on illicit smuggling in recent years.
