Pet shop owner caught at airport trying to smuggle reptiles in underwear

17 September 2023 , 11:56

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A pet shop owner has been caught trying to smuggle numerous exotic creatures in her underwear (Image: AsiaWire)

A pet shop owner has been caught after trying to smuggle numerous creatures by hiding them in her underwear.

The 32-year old woman was found with 15 live snakes, four giant centipedes and a lizard as she travelled from Hong Kong to mainland China. Chen, as she has been named by police, had stuffed the reptiles - some of which were toxic - into her bra and pockets hoping to transfer them to her store to sell on. However, she was stopped in her tracks by customs officials after acting nervously and seen to be wearing unusually large clothes.

Pulled aside, a body search subsequently revealed Chen had managed to conceal nine king snakes, six hog-nosed snakes, four Peruvian giant centipedes, and an Anolis genus lizard - all of which are exotic. The animals have since been handed over to the relevant authorities for processing, the Customs Department said.

Customs seized 15 live snakes, four giant centipedes and a lizard (AsiaWire)

Chen confessed she was planning to sell the creatures on on her return to her city, Foshan, and admitted she had done so successfully in the past, earning a lot of money in the process. She added that as they are hard to find on the Chinese market, she was able to sell them at a high price to customers wishing to house them as pets or use them for traditional medicinal purposes.

One of Chen's seized king snakes - a Lampropeltis - is from a family of serpents that which can have a highly toxic venom deadly to humans. Her Peruvian centipede, Scolopendra gigantea, meanwhile, is a large arthropod that can grow up to 11 inches in length with a potentially fatal venom too.

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According to Chinese law, animals that are transported in and out of the country must be quarantined and inspected by authorities first in order to prevent invasive alien species and protect ecological security. The Customs Department did not specify what legal implications Chen is to face.

Alan Johnson