Man with suitcase full of snakes stopped at German airport
A Mexican man was detained at Cologne Bonn Airport after customs officials discovered 92 live and dead venomous snakes and lizards hidden in his luggage. The man, who tested positive for cocaine, claimed he was transporting the animals as a favor for an acquaintance.
Why it matters
This incident highlights the ongoing challenge of international wildlife trafficking and the illegal trade of protected species.
Image source, German Customs Image caption, Not all the the snakes and lizards were alive, officials said
A man has been stopped at Cologne Bonn Airport in Germany after trying to smuggle in more than 90 lizards and venomous snakes.
Customs officials said the 45-year-old Mexican firefighter had looked "conspicuously nervous" as he tried to go through the green - nothing to declare - exit at the airport.
They conducted a drugs test on the man - which came back positive for cocaine - before proceeding to check his suitcase.
They did not find any drugs, but vipers, rattlesnakes and other species of snakes and lizards, including iguanas, hidden in shampoo and cream bottles, plastic containers and balls of socks.
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