Man Caught With Over 90 Reptiles in Suitcase at German Airport
Mexican firefighter attempting to smuggle snakes and lizards from Mexico to Germany was stopped due to suspicious behavior and a positive drug test.
German customs officials at Cologne Bonn Airport apprehended a 45-year-old Mexican firefighter who was attempting to smuggle more than 90 reptiles, including venomous snakes and lizards, hidden within his luggage. The man was detected after appearing "conspicuously nervous" while attempting to pass through the airport's "green" customs channel, intended for travelers with nothing to declare.
Upon inspection, officials discovered various species of snakes, including vipers and rattlesnakes, along with lizards such as iguanas, concealed inside shampoo and cream bottles, plastic containers, and balls of socks. Some of the animals were reportedly kept in inhumane conditions, and tragically, several had died during the journey from Mexico City via Istanbul. The man stated he was transporting the animals as a favor for an acquaintance.
In addition to the reptile smuggling, a drug test administered to the man returned positive for cocaine. He was subsequently denied entry into Germany and was flown back to Istanbul. The surviving reptiles are now under the care of a snake farm in Germany.
This incident follows a similar case six years prior, when 26 rare reptiles, 10 of them deceased, were found smuggled in parcels of toys and sweets from Mexico at the same airport. Last year, German customs nationwide reported over 1,300 seizures involving more than 56,600 protected animals and plants or products derived from them.