In a skin-crawling incident, a man was recently nabbed with about 43 horned lizards and 9 snakes under his clothing by customers officers. The custom officers at the San Ysidro port foiled a massive smuggling attempt of a man who had tied the reptiles in small bags and hid it under his clothing while trying to cross the border and enter USA.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection report quoted a customs officer saying, “… the smuggler attempted to deceive CBP officers in order to bring these animals into the US., without taking care for the health and safety of the animals”. The incident occurred earlier on February 25 when the 30-year-old U.S. citizen was driving a truck and tried entering the San Ysidro border crossing.
The reptiles were concealed inside the man’s jacket, his pants and even in his groin area. Reportedly, the customs officers seized the lizards and reptile and secured the living creatures in a safe area. It should be noted that some of the species the man tried to smuggled are unangered.
The Facts of the Matter
Everybody expects their bags and vehicles checked at border while customs clearing. Yet, desperate and venturesome smugglers continue to attempt smuggling array of shocking things across border. This ranges from predictable stuff like drugs, jewellery and some shocking stuff like living creatures like tiger cubs, snakes and lizards.
Recently, a U.S. citizen was nabbed by customers officer for smuggling as many as 43 horned lizards and 9 snakes that were concealed in his clothing. The 30-year-old U.S. citizen was reportedly trying to enter the U.S.A. through the San Ysidro border crossing when he was caught by the customs officer at the border.
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Man Was Driving from Mexico, Asked to Undergo Inspection at Border
The man was driving a truck and had come from Mexico. Some of the snakes the man had it with him were even endangered. The incident happened earlier on February 25. Reportedly, the Customs and Border Protection officers suspected something off with the accused and asked the man to undergo further inspection.
Bags with Live Reptiles Found in Pockets, and Groin Area
During the inspection, the personnel of the CBP asked the man to undergo a personal search. During the search, the CBP personnel found several small bags that were concealed inside the man’s clothing. A total of 52 bags were recovered from the man. As many as 43 horned lizards were recovered from the man’s possession while 9 snakes were recovered from the man’s pants, pockets and even his groin area.
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Smuggler Didn’t Take Care of Health & Safety of Animals
After foiling the massive smuggling attempt, a CBP report quoted a customs officer saying, “Smugglers will try every possible way to try and get their product, or in this case live reptiles, across the border. In this occasion, the smuggler attempted to deceive CBP officers in order to bring these animals into the US., without taking care for the health and safety of the animals.”
He further noted that as many as 40 different government agencies work together to stop such attempts. Further, hundreds of laws are enforced on the border to stop attempts of such attempts which otherwise can further lead to trafficking of endangered species.
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Accused Turned Over to Correctional Center, Lizards in Quarantine
After the incident, the customs officers arrested the 30-year-old accused for attempting to smuggle live reptiles and turned him over to the Homeland Security Investigators for further investigation. The accused was then turned over to the Metropolitan Correctional Center.
As for the lizards and snake, they were placed in a secure area and are slated to remain in quarantine. Some of the species have also been identified as endangered and hence, they will be in a safe area, following which, a call will be made as to where the live reptiles will be transported to.
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