Smuggler with 100 live snakes in his pants stopped at customs in China
A man was caught trying to smuggle more than 100 live snakes through customs by stuffing the slithery reptiles in his pants, according to Chinese officials.
The unidentified traveler was stopped by customs agents as he tried to sneak out of semi-autonomous Hong Kong with his scaly friends in tow into Shenzhen, China Customs said in a statement on Tuesday, CBS News reported.
The “customs officers discovered that the pockets of the trousers the passenger was wearing were packed with six canvas drawstring bags and sealed with tape,” officials said.
“Once opened, each bag was found to contain living snakes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors,” the agency added.
![snakes in a bag](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/screengrab-video-shared-customs-china-85376529.jpg?w=1024)
Video released by the agency shows stunned border agents looking into the transparent bags filled with the squirming, colorful serpents.
In total, China Customs seized 104 snakes, many of which are non-native species.
China is among the world’s largest hubs for illegal animal trafficking, however recently authorities have made efforts to suppress the trade, according to CBS.
Strict biosecurity and disease control rules forbid anyone bringing non-native species into the country without permission.
“Those who break the rules will be… held liable in accordance with the law,” the customs authority said, without specifying the man’s punishment.