A man who tried to slither past U.S. border agents in California had 52 lizards and snakes hidden in his clothing, authorities said Tuesday.
The man was driving a truck when he arrived at the San Ysidro border crossing with Mexico on Feb. 25 and was pulled out for additional inspection, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a statement.
Agents found 52 live reptiles tied up in small bags “which were concealed in the man's jacket, pants pockets, and groin area," the statement said.
Nine snakes and 43 horned lizards were seized. Some of the species are considered endangered, authorities said.
“Smugglers will try every possible way to try and get their product, or in this case live reptiles, across the border,” said Sidney Aki, Customs and Border Protection director of field operations in San Diego. “In this occasion, the smuggler attempted to deceive CBP officers in order to bring these animals into the US, without taking care for the health and safety of the animals."
The man, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested.
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In the past, government agencies have typically taken on the cost of such searches, even when rich people pay thousands of dollars for questionable activities.
