World
Man caught smuggling over 100 live snakes across border — in his pants
A would-be snake smuggler was apprehended at Futian Port in China, which borders Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Chinese state media Weixin posted that the smuggler was attempting to transport 104 live snakes into China, where the reptiles can be legally farmed and eaten.
Live animals, however, cannot be legally transported across the border per Chinese law.
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According to a translation from the official Weixin post by China’s custom authority, “During the inspection, customs officers found six canvas bags sealed with tape inside the pockets of the traveler’s pants.”
Surveillance footage from Futian Port shows the would-be snake smuggler with his face blurred. (China Customs)
“Upon opening the bags, they discovered multiple live snakes of various colors and shapes inside each bag,” the post continued.
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According to the Weixin post, snakes native to North America like the Texas rat snake and the milk snake were discovered in the smuggler’s trousers. The translated post refers to these reptiles as ‘alien species.’
104 live snakes were counted by Chinese customs authorities in the thwarting of a would-be smuggling operation. (China Customs)
China is considered to be a haven for exotic animal smugglers, with many of them being kept as pets or used in medicine and cuisine like shark fin soup. Snake soup is considered a Cantonese delicacy.
Live animal markets, or ‘wet markets,’ continue their popularity despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
The would-be smuggler has not been named, and his punishment unspecified, in China’s customs authority social media post.