German customs officers at Cologne/Bonn Airport found 92 live reptiles hidden in a passenger's suitcase: 37 venomous snakes and 55 lizards, packed into empty shampoo bottles, cream jars, plastic tubs and socks. Nearly 30 of them had already died. Customs made the case public on 15 October. The traveler was refused entry to Germany, and customs investigators are looking into suspected commercial smuggling of protected species.

What happened

According to German news agency dpa and the aviation site aeroTELEGRAPH, the man, a 45-year-old firefighter from Mexico, had flown from Mexico City to Cologne via Istanbul. He tried to leave through the green "nothing to declare" exit. Officers stopped him because he seemed very nervous and his answers didn't add up.

His luggage held vipers and rattlesnakes, along with lizards that included spiny iguanas and tree skinks. Some of the species are endangered and strictly protected, dpa reported. The animals had spent the hours-long trip crammed into their hiding places with no food or water. About a third didn't survive it.

Jens Ahland, spokesperson for the Cologne main customs office, told dpa they had never seen a case of this size there before.

Where the animals are now

After vets from the city of Cologne checked them, the surviving reptiles were taken to a specialist snake farm near Braunschweig in Lower Saxony to recover. The reports don't say what will happen to them long term.

What each side says

The man told officers he was carrying the animals as a favor for an acquaintance in Brazil, according to aeroTELEGRAPH and Slovenian daily Večer. Investigators didn't accept that explanation, Večer reported. Customs believes this was commercial smuggling, and the Customs Investigation Office in Essen is handling the case. Federal police refused him entry, and he was flown back to Istanbul the next morning. He hasn't been charged with a crime in the reports we read, and he hasn't been named. Večer reported he could face a heavy fine or prison.

Why it matters for animals

Reptiles are small, quiet and easy to hide in luggage, and this case shows how badly they suffer in transit. Germany alone recorded more than 1,300 similar seizures last year, involving over 56,600 protected animals, plants and products, Večer reported. Every animal taken from the wild for this trade is one fewer in a population that may already be in trouble.

What you can do

If you're thinking about getting a reptile, start with rescues and reptile sanctuaries; many have snakes and lizards that need homes. If you buy, ask the seller for proof of legal origin and any CITES paperwork the species needs, and walk away if they can't show it. Never buy an animal sold cheaply online with no papers or history. If you see suspected wildlife smuggling, report it to customs or the police rather than confronting anyone. And if you ever find an escaped or unfamiliar snake, keep your distance and call local animal control: some smuggled species are venomous.

Sources