A man was intercepted by Chinese customs officers attempting to smuggle more than 100 live snakes into mainland China by concealing them in his trousers, according to a statement released by the country’s customs authority.
The incident occurred as the unnamed traveler tried to cross from semi-autonomous Hong Kong into Shenzhen. Upon inspection, customs officers discovered that his trouser pockets were stuffed with six canvas drawstring bags sealed with tape.
“Upon inspection, customs officers discovered that the pockets of the trousers the passenger was wearing were packed with six canvas drawstring bags and sealed with tape,” the statement said. “Once opened, each bag was found to contain living snakes in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors,” it added.
The officers confiscated a total of 104 snakes, including non-native species such as milk snakes and corn snakes. An accompanying video showed border agents examining transparent plastic bags filled with various red, pink, and white snakes.
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China is a significant hub for animal trafficking, but recent years have seen a strict crackdown on the illicit trade. The country’s biosecurity and disease control laws prohibit the import of non-native species without authorization.
“Those who break the rules will be… held liable in accordance with the law,” the customs authority stated, without detailing the man’s specific punishment.
