More than 90 reptiles found in suitcase at German airport

A Mexican firefighter was turned back from Germany after customs officers found 37 live venomous snakes and 55 lizards hidden in his suitcase at Cologne Bonn Airport, officials say. Some of the animals had died during the journey, while others were kept in what customs described as inhumane conditions. [1]

The 45-year-old was stopped as he tried to leave through the airport’s green, “nothing to declare” channel. Officers said he appeared conspicuously nervous. A drug test was positive for cocaine, but no drugs were found in his luggage; the reptiles were concealed in shampoo and cream bottles, plastic containers and balls of socks.

The unnamed man told officers he had brought the animals from Mexico as a favour for a Brazilian acquaintance. He was refused entry to Germany and flown back to Istanbul. The surviving animals are being cared for at a German snake farm.

Jens Ahland, a spokesman for Cologne Customs, said officers had never before encountered so many live venomous snakes and lizards brought in from Mexico. He said German customs recorded more than 1,300 seizures nationwide last year involving over 56,600 protected animals, plants or products made from them. [1]