Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Miami International Airport (MIA) stopped a man who tried to board a flight with snakes hidden in his trousers.
The administration posted photographs of the snakes on social media, but did not mention where the passenger intended to fly to.
According to the TSA, the snakes, which were hidden inside a sunglasses pouch, were discovered during a checkpoint on April 26, 2024.
The pouch containing the snakes had been concealed in the man’s pants, the TSA said.
One of the photos showed two small pink snakes slithering around the exterior of the pouch with white packaging material around them.
The TSA said that Customs and Border Protection and Miami-Dade Police partners were called to assist with the discovery.
The snakes were eventually turned over to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Wildlife smuggling is unfortunately a common practice worldwide due to the demand for exotic pets. In October 2023, rodents, otters, and turtles escaped an enclosure and caused chaos mid-flight on a VietJet flight from Bangkok to Taipei.
Southeast Asia is a hot spot for illegal wildlife trading and Bangkok Airport (BKK), in particular, recorded more than 14,000 live animals confiscated at the airport between 2010-2020.