Customs seize 14 live snakes hidden inside pocket of passenger

BEIJING: A man who tried to smuggle 14 live snakes in his pocket was caught by customs. The incident took place in the city of Shenzhen in Southeast China. The suspect was caught during an inspection after the customs officials got suspicious about the unusual behavior of a ship passenger who arrived at the Fuxian port on the China-Hong Kong border.

12 snakes were found hidden in his pocket and socks. Later, two snakes were recovered from a plastic container in his possession. Three of the 14 snakes are ball pythons, also known as royal pythons, which are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Endangered Species.

Last month, a woman tried to smuggle a live cone snake inside her bra at the same port. The woman was caught by the officers while crossing the border.