Snakes in luggage: Customs apprehends Mexican in Cologne
Customs at Cologne-Bonn Airport stopped a 45-year-old Mexican firefighter who was entering from Turkey and illegally transported 37 snakes and 55 lizards in his luggage. A drug test confirmed cocaine use.
Snakes in luggage: Customs apprehends Mexican in Cologne
In Cologne, customs officials have apprehended a 45-year-old man from Mexico who had entered from Turkey and was illegally transporting reptiles. The firefighter had landed at Cologne-Bonn Airport and attracted the attention of border guards through noticeably restless behaviour.
According to online magazine Telex, officials initially noticed the unusual contents of his bags. Inside, they discovered not only dozens of venomous snakes and lizards, but also determined that the passenger was under the influence of drugs. A test that was carried out confirmed cocaine use.
In total, the luggage contained 37 snakes and 55 lizards. The different species, including rattlesnakes and vipers, came from the man's home country. To smuggle them across the border undetected, he had packed them in everyday items such as shampoo bottles and cosmetic containers. Some of the protected animals did not survive the long journey from Mexico via Turkey to Germany; they were kept in inhumane conditions.
A customs spokesman told the BBC on the record that the discovery was absolutely extraordinary, even for experienced officials. German authorities did not allow the Mexican into the country; he had to fly back to Istanbul. The rescued reptiles were taken to a specialised farm. The spokesman also pointed to the annual record: nationally, over 1,300 cases were recently registered in which more than 56,000 protected animals or plants were seized.
Source: Telex
Source: Telex