Snakes in Pants: Man Caught at Customs with Over 100 Live Reptiles
A man attempting to smuggle more than 100 live snakes into mainland China was apprehended by customs officers in Shenzhen, according to the country’s customs authority.
Unusual discovery at Futian port
The incident occurred at Futian Port, a checkpoint between Hong Kong and mainland China. During an inspection, customs officers discovered six canvas drawstring bags sealed with tape concealed in the man’s pants pockets.
Live snakes found
“Officers opened the bags and found that each bag contained a number of live snakes in various shapes and colors,” stated the customs agency. A total of 104 snakes were found, comprising five species: milk snake, western hognose snake, corn snake, Texas rat snake, and bullsnake. None of these species are venomous, and four are non-native to China.
Legal implications
The incident reportedly happened “a few days ago,” but the exact date was not specified. While the customs agency did not confirm if the man was arrested, it emphasized that violations of regulations would lead to legal liability.
Previous smuggling incidents
In a related incident in June, another man was arrested while attempting to smuggle 454 endangered turtles from Macau to mainland China, highlighting the ongoing challenge of wildlife smuggling in the region.