Traveling with animals is sometimes a complicated process. With varying pet fees and rules that can vary by airline, planning a trip with smaller companions can be stressful. Many people have emotional support animals which grant them different rights and access during travel. While there are many complexities to traveling with animals, some travelers have criminal intentions.
Smuggling unauthorized or unsafe animals onto a plane is a dangerous situation that can put everyone at risk, including the airport and aircraft crew. However, this fact did not stop one man who went to extreme lengths to try and smuggle snakes on a plane. Here is what travelers should know about the situation.
More on the Snake Smuggling Situation
This incident occurred in southern China at Futian Port, which is a land crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The man was coming from Hong Kong and coming into the Chinese border city of Shenzhen. It unraveled on Tuesday after customs officers stopped a traveler.
While the traveler remains unnamed, China’s customs authority has made the situation clear. The animal smuggler tried to sneak through a “no declaration channel” at the port. Upon inspection, the customs officers found something quite strange in the man’s pants. The officers discovered six concealed drawstring bags in his pants, which were sealed with tape. Once opened, the officers realized that the bags contained live snakes. There were over 100 reptiles in the man’s pants. There were many different types of snakes.
China is one of the world’s biggest animal trafficking hubs. While authorities have been working on the issue that is the thriving black market in China, it has not been completely dealt with. This bizarre incident shows how the illegal wildlife trade is very much still in swing.
With millions of dollars made in the illegal trading syndicate, this bust is still a big deal. Smuggling in China threatens the environment and has even led to rangers being killed by illegal poachers.
Consequences Of Smuggling Animals Illegally
Although some of the snakes that the man attempted to smuggle turned out to be native species, there were non-native species as well. China’s biosecurity and disease control laws are quite strict. They ban people from bringing in non-native species without authorization.
The illegal trade has also been a cause of concern in recent years so the authorities have been giving harsher sentences, which sometimes include life in prison. In situations where people break those rules—such a violation is taken very seriously. In this example, the man’s punishment has not been made clear but the situation making headlines may mean he will be made an example for other smugglers.
