Man arrested for smuggling over 100 live snakes hidden in pants

A man was apprehended by Chinese customs officials while attempting to smuggle more than 100 live snakes from Hong Kong to mainland China. The incident, reported by Chinese customs on Tuesday, exposed the audacious attempt to transport the reptiles hidden in the man’s pants. According to the Chinese customs statement, the traveler aroused suspicion during routine inspections at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border. Upon further inspection, customs officials discovered six drawstring canvas bags hidden in the man’s pants pockets. The bags were tightly sealed with tape, containing a variety of live snakes of different shapes, sizes and colors.

A video accompanying the report shows border agents inspecting clear plastic bags filled with wriggling snakes, including species like milk snakes and corn snakes, many of which are not native to China.

China, known as a hub for animal trafficking, has strict biosecurity and disease control regulations that prohibit the import of non-native species without proper authorization. The country has stepped up efforts in recent years to combat the illegal wildlife trade.

Customs authorities stressed that violators of these laws would be subject to judicial sanctions. However, specific details regarding the punishment imposed on the arrested individual were not disclosed in the statement.

AFP contributions

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