Snake smuggler caught at Chinese border with over 100 reptiles

Customs officers from China at the border crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen were astonished when they discovered what one tourist was hiding. The man attempted to cross the border with over a hundred live snakes in his trousers.

Tourists can come up with astonishing ideas and ways to carry them out. We have already reported on attempts to smuggle corals, species protected under CITES, or even vials of bear bile. However, what this tourist attempted at the Chinese border crossing surprised everyone.

The man tried to enter mainland China from Hong Kong through the Futian crossing, using the lane marked "nothing to declare".

During the inspection, customs officers discovered that six canvas bags tied with strings and tightly sealed with tape were stuffed in the pockets of the traveller's trousers, as reported by the customs authorities.

The contents of those six canvas bags were astonishing. Each bag contained live snakes of different shapes, sizes, and colours, it was added. On social media, recordings were published showing all the bags and reptiles.

In a statement, it was mentioned that officers seized as many as 104 reptiles belonging to five species of non-venomous snakes, including milk snakes and corn snakes. Four species are classified as exotic, meaning they are non-native to mainland China.

According to The Guardian, China is one of the world's largest centres for animal smuggling. Under local law, importing species that live in other countries without permission is prohibited. The authorities emphasised that those who did not comply with the law would be punished, though they did not specify the exact penalty the man might face.