Breaking News

Writhing Snakes Duct Taped To Smuggler

A smuggler has been arrested in Norway with 14 royal pythons and 10 albino leopard geckos duct taped to his body.


The 22-year-old was trying to sneak the creatures into the northern European country, along with a tarantula in his bag, customs officer Helge Breilid said.

The Norwegian citizen was stopped for a routine customs check in the southern town of Kristiansand after getting off a ferry from Hirtshals, Denmark.

Officers found the spider before deciding to give the young man a full body search.

Mr Breilid said the non-venomous creatures were hidden in stockings - one for each snake - taped to the man's abdomen.

The geckos were in boxes strapped onto his legs.

"Customs officers quickly realised the man was smuggling animals because his whole body was in constant motion," Mr Breilid was quoted by newspaper VG as saying.

Kristiansand police lawyer Johann Martin Kile told VG the man would be released after he agreed to pay a 12,500 Norwegian crown (£1,380) fine.

The reptiles have been handed over to a security firm until Norwegian authorities decide what to do with them.

The Copenhagen Post's website said the smuggler told officers he bought all the animals in Denmark.

But he did not explain if they were for him or to sell to other people, the Post continued.

"He told us he was crazy about reptiles," Mr Breilid added.

Royal pythons are the smallest species in the python family.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20091027/twl-writhing-snakes-duct-taped-to-smuggl-3fd0ae9.html