A would-be snake smuggler was apprehended at Futian Port in China, which borders Hong Kong and Shenzhen.
Chinese state media Weixin posted that the smuggler was attempting to transport 104 live snakes into China, where the reptiles can be legally farmed and eaten.
Live animals, however, cannot be legally transported across the border per Chinese law.
THIS DESERT MOSS COULD HELP SUPPORT MARTIAN COLONIES, ACCORDING TO A STUDY FROM CHINA
According to a translation from the official Weixin post by China’s custom authority, “During the inspection, customs officers found six canvas bags sealed with tape inside the pockets of the traveler’s pants.”
“Upon opening the bags, they discovered multiple live snakes of various colors and shapes inside each bag,” the post continued.
AUSTRALIAN GIRL, 12, KILLED BY CROCODILE WHILE SWIMMING IN CREEK
According to the Weixin post, snakes native to North America like the Texas rat snake and the milk snake were discovered in the smuggler’s trousers. The translated post refers to these reptiles as ‘alien species.’
China is considered to be a haven for exotic animal smugglers, with many of them being kept as pets or used in medicine and cuisine like shark fin soup. Snake soup is considered a Cantonese delicacy.
Live animal markets, or ‘wet markets,’ continue their popularity despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The would-be smuggler has not been named, and his punishment unspecified, in China’s customs authority social media post.