4 women arrested for smuggling live snakes by stuffing them inside their bras
Customs officers at Futian Port, Huanggang, China, recently arrested four women who were found carrying live snakes in their bras.
According to a Guangming Daily report on 11 Jan, the officers were checking inbound passengers when they found a woman who looked flustered and hurried.
Thinking she was suspicious, they quickly inspected the woman and found two live snakes wrapped in cotton socks which were stuffed in her bra.
Subsequently, the officers found three other female passengers who were smuggling live snakes in the same way.
Women were smuggling endangered pythons
Upon questioning, the women said they were sent to bring eight live snakes into the country and were paid “carrying fees”.
The Shenzhen Customs Animal and Plant Inspection and Quarantine Technical Center identified the snakes as ball pythons.
Source: Guangming Daily
These pythons are listed as endangered in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Smuggling endangered species may constitute crime
The Chinese Customs Department reminded citizens that the import of endangered species is prohibited according to CITES, the Wildlife Protection Law, and many other regulations.
Source: Guangming Daily
Only legal holders of wildlife import and export certificates are exempted.
In serious circumstances that may constitute a crime, the offenders will face criminal charges in accordance with the law.
Also read: Man Allegedly Tries To Smuggle Otters In Boxers Out Of Thailand, Gets Caught At Airport
Man Allegedly Tries To Smuggle Otters In Boxers Out Of Thailand, Gets Caught At Airport
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Featured image adapted from pixelshot on Canva, Guangming Daily
