A man’s attempt to smuggle 14 live snakes across the Chinese border by hiding them in his pockets has been thwarted.
The incident took place at Futian Port, an entry point between mainland China and Hong Kong, in Shenzhen.
Customs agents at Huanggang Customs noticed the man acting nervously and avoiding eye contact. Upon inspection, they discovered the reptiles concealed in cotton socks and stockings.
Video footage shows the man, dressed in black attire and a white cap, anxiously checking his pockets at the checkpoint. Border staff later uncovered the snakes from the socks.
The snakes were contained in plastic containers and handed over to authorities. Among them were three ball pythons, an African species categorized as ‘near threatened’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
Chinese law mandates the quarantine and inspection of all animals entering or leaving the country. The man’s legal status in relation to the incident is yet to be determined.
