HONG KONG: A man was caught trying to smuggle over 100 live snakes into mainland China by stuffing them down his pants, according to customs officials there.
The unnamed traveler was stopped by customs officials as he tried to slip from semi-autonomous Hong Kong to the border city of Shenzhen, China’s customs office said in a statement on Tuesday.
An accompanying video showed two border guards peering into clear plastic bags filled with writhing red, pink and white snakes.
China is one of the world’s biggest hubs for animal trafficking, but authorities have cracked down on the illegal trade in recent years.
The country’s biosecurity and disease control laws prohibit people from bringing in non-native species without a permit.
“Those who break the rules will be… held accountable in accordance with the law,” the customs office said, without elaborating on the man’s punishment.
