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Effective URL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/11/man-caught-smuggling-snakes-china/
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Accessibility statementSkip to main content Democracy Dies in Darkness SubscribeSign in Democracy Dies in Darkness WorldAsia War In Ukraine Africa Americas Europe Middle East WorldAsia War In Ukraine Africa Americas Europe Middle East MAN CAUGHT TRYING TO SMUGGLE 104 LIVE SNAKES — IN HIS PANTS The man went through the “nothing to declare” line when crossing from Hong Kong into mainland China. A search found his pockets full of writhing, scaly contraband. 3 min New! Catch up quickly with article summaries Close alert banner 56 Key takeaways Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed. * He went through the “nothing to declare” line when crossing from Hong Kong into mainland China. * Five nonvenomous North American snake species that risk becoming invasive in China were identified. * China Customs has cracked down on the smuggling and mailing of wild animals. Did our AI help? Share your thoughts. Chinese customs agents said July 9 that they intercepted a man with more than 100 live snakes in his pants at Futian Port in Shenzhen. (Video: Storyful) By Lyric Li July 11, 2024 at 4:25 a.m. EDT The man, wearing a black jacket and baggy pants and carrying a backpack, said he had “nothing to declare” when he crossed the busy border checkpoint from Hong Kong into the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Subscribe for unlimited access to The Post You can cancel anytime. Subscribe A search revealed he was indeed carrying contraband. In fact, 104 scaly pieces of contraband. That’s how many live snakes were in his pants, China Customs officials said. A video shared by the agency showed the man walking assertively through the “nothing to declare” line at the Futian crossing, one of the world’s busiest land ports. He was pulled aside for further inspection — the Customs office didn’t say what aroused suspicion or whether it was random luck — and the search revealed that his pant pockets contained six canvas drawstring bags, sealed with tape. Story continues below advertisement “When opened, each bag was found to contain multiple living snakes, brightly colored and in different shapes and sizes,” according to a statement from the Customs office. Advertisement The video showed two officers examining the red, pink and black snakes, which were writhing in plastic bags by the time of their performance for the video. 🌎 Follow World news Follow All five species identified inside — milk, corn, Texas rat, western hognose and gopher snakes — are nonvenomous, endemic to North America and frequently found in the exotic pet trade in China, where they risk becoming an invasive species. GET CAUGHT UP STORIES TO KEEP YOU INFORMED PreviousNext The Republicans are here. 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See moreExpand content Make your job less painful, at least physically * Ergonomic upgrades can help with comfort and efficiency whether at the office or at home. * Aim for a good desk and screen setup, the right chair, and keyboards and mice to help your wrists. * Avoid working from bed, remember to take breaks and listen to your body. SparkleSummary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed. See moreExpand content “Those who violate the regulations will be … held accountable by law,” Customs authorities said. Smugglers of live animals in China face a fine of up to 50,000 yuan (a little less than $7,000), and severe violations can lead to criminal charges. Story continues below advertisement The Customs agency did not reveal the man’s nationality or what happened to him next, and the office in Shenzhen could not be reached for comment. Futian is no strangers to “walking zoo” travelers. In September, a woman was found carrying 15 live snakes, four Amazonian giant centipedes — the largest centipede species in the world — and a blue-tongued skink in her pant pockets and hoodie. A few months earlier, a woman was caught hiding five snakes in her tank top. Advertisement Beijing banned the poaching, transport and trade of wild animals in 2020, the year that the coronavirus pandemic was said to have begun at a market in Wuhan where wild animals were sold. Biosecurity and disease control laws forbid people from importing, abandoning or releasing nonnative species without permission. Story continues below advertisement In 2023, China Customs launched a three-year campaign to crack down on the smuggling and mailing of wild animals and says it intercepted 1,186 nonnative species, including 44,000 exotic pets, in a year. Some wild animals such as alligator gar — a torpedo-shaped freshwater fish with razor-sharp teeth — have not been included in official lists of invasive species and still find ways into the country as pets. The sightings of one alligator gar made national headlines in 2022 after a city drained an entire lake in a multiday effort to capture it. Share 56 Comments NewsletterAs news breaks World News Alerts Breaking news email alerts for major happenings around the world. Sign up Subscribe to comment and get the full experience. 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