German Customs Seizes 92 Venomous Snakes and Lizards in Passenger Luggage
German customs officers at Cologne airport arrested a Mexican passenger attempting to smuggle 92 venomous snakes and lizards hidden in socks and shampoo bottles.
German customs authorities at Cologne/Bonn Airport intercepted a passenger smuggling 92 venomous snakes and lizards hidden inside a suitcase. The 45-year-old Mexican national, a firefighter by profession, arrived on a flight from Mexico City via Istanbul and attempted to walk through the green customs exit for passengers with nothing to declare.
Officials became suspicious due to his nervous behavior and initially subjected him to a drug test, which came back positive for cocaine. A subsequent search of his luggage revealed dozens of live reptiles crammed inside shampoo bottles, cream containers, and socks.
According to customs spokesperson Jens Ahland, authorities discovered 37 live venomous snakes and 55 lizards. Due to severe transport conditions without food or water, approximately 30 of the animals did not survive the journey.
The seized reptiles included vipers, rattlesnakes, and iguanas. A local veterinarian treated the surviving animals before they were transferred to a specialized reptile facility near Braunschweig, while the smuggler was deported back to Istanbul.
