Man caught smuggling over 100 live snakes hidden in trousers

A man was apprehended by Chinese customs officials attempting to smuggle more than 100 live snakes into mainland China from Hong Kong. The incident, reported by China Customs on Tuesday, revealed the audacious attempt to transport the reptiles concealed in the man's trousers.

According to the statement from China Customs, the traveller aroused suspicion during routine inspections at the border between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Upon closer examination, customs officers discovered six canvas drawstring bags concealed in the pockets of the man's trousers. These bags were tightly sealed with tape, containing a variety of live snakes of different shapes, sizes, and colours.

A video accompanying the report depicted border agents inspecting transparent plastic bags filled with squirming snakes, including species like milk snakes and corn snakes, many of which are not native to China.


China, known as a major hub for animal trafficking, has stringent biosecurity and disease control regulations that prohibit the importation of non-native species without proper authorization. The country has intensified efforts in recent years to combat illegal wildlife trade.

The customs authority emphasised that those found violating these laws will face legal consequences. However, specific details regarding the punishment for the detained individual were not disclosed in the statement.

Inputs from AFP