This February 2022 photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows snakes in a bag hidden in a man’s clothing at the port of entry in San Ysidro, Calif. Chinese authorities said Tuesday they had arrested a man attempting to smuggle more than 100 snakes into China.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection/AP
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection/AP
According to media reports, a man travelling to China was arrested after attempting to smuggle more than 100 live snakes of various sizes in his trousers.
“Upon inspection, customs officials found six canvas drawstring bags stuffed in the pockets of the passenger’s trousers and sealed with tape,” China’s customs authority said in a statement on Tuesday.
“When opened, each bag contained live snakes of various shapes, sizes and colours,” the statement said, adding that many of the snakes caught in the smuggling attempt were exotic species.
Authorities said the man was trying to smuggle the snake from Hong Kong into the Chinese border city of Shenzhen.
Although the case is bizarre, it points to a larger problem, particularly in China, where the illegal wildlife trade is most prevalent.
This environmental and wildlife smuggling threatens native species and creates a $20 billion annual black market, making it the third largest illegal trade syndicate in the world after drugs and counterfeit food, according to Moody’s.
In its 2023 report, Interpol said poaching and illegal wildlife not only cause significant environmental damage, but also that around 100 forest rangers are killed by illegal poachers every year.
