A Brazilian man was arrested for trying to board a flight at Orlando International Airport while carrying 27 snakes that he'd wrapped in pantyhose and stashed away in inside stereo speakers, authorities said.


(Orange County Jail)Mateus Del Maso, Jr. checked the speakers as luggage, but they were inspected and the snakes hidden inside were discovered. The creatures never made it onto the aircraft.

Dal Maso purchased the serpents at the National Reptile Breeders Expo in Daytona Beach, Fla. He admitted he was going to carry the snakes - which he valued at about $10,000 - into Brazil and breed them for commercial purposes, a release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said.

He did not have the proper authorization to take the reptiles - one ball python, seven boa constrictors, and 19 color morph corn snakes - into Brazil.

Dal Maso pleaded guilty on Aug. 23 to attempting to smuggle the snakes. He served two days in Orange County Jail and was fined $6,000. He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release, and must report to a probation officer within 72 hours of his arrival if he ever returns to the U.S.

The snakes were taken to an undisclosed care facility.

The arrest came about as a result of a multi-agency law enforcement operation that's been dubbed "Operation Snake Pit." The program seeks to prevent the illegal shipping of reptiles.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/busted-trying-board-plane-27-snakes-130416795--abc-news-topstories.html

when i saw that story today, it made me laugh because there are already bunch of snakes in Brasil, why would this man need to go all the way to the US to get some?!

^^^ thats exactly what went thru my mind while reading the article. upon all the gazillion snakes in Brazilian swamps and jungles, he still wanted to smuggle more into the country. methinks he had more sinister intentions (snakes on a plane comes to mind).

Maybe that breed or specie is not in Brazil.

dominique: ^^^ thats exactly what went thru my mind while reading the article. upon all the gazillion snakes in Brazilian swamps and jungles, he still wanted to smuggle more into the country. methinks he had more sinister intentions (snakes on a plane comes to mind).

you are not alone

Ugbo ya achiala.

Amazon forest wey be land of abundant creatures no do am. Like Dominique said 'Snakes on a Plane' also came to my mind. Cant even imagine if i was on a plane and there is a luggage full of snakes. Will die of heart attack instantly

Im pretty sure those breeds are not in Brazil....for him to come this far for snakes...im sure he would have done his research to know those breeds are not in Brazil, or difficult to find in Brazil and its cheaper to fly down to US to buy them....

@Post

He should have gone through the appropriate channels and gotten a legal permit to export those snakes to brazil. I hope he has learned his lesson now.

Siga: Im pretty sure those breeds are not in Brazil....for him to come this far for snakes...im sure he would have done his research to know those breeds are not in Brazil, or difficult to find in Brazil and its cheaper to fly down to US to buy them....

You are not alone

e sure me die say the guy na ......hmmm...lemme see....the guy na terrorist jooor..! He wan take the pilots and cabin crew "hostage" with the snake afta e go con ask for hin demand....terrorism 101..!

Suprising

The guy wanna act snakes on a plane part 2 na

27 snakes nii? Hmmm! Who knws if d man had d intention of releasing d snakes on board. Na dia problem 4 be.

Boa consicritor is not in d tropic, not sure of others.

that man should be properly delt with,he has a mission uncomplished :othat man should be properly delt with,he has a mission uncomplished

If na naija would d man hav succeeded? Guess

he will Never, Muritala na the worst airport to cross in d whole wide world...u will be screened thoroughly, ask Seaun she knows

fennels007: If na naija would d man hav succeeded? Guess

dominique: ^^^ thats exactly what went thru my mind while reading the article. upon all the gazillion snakes in Brazilian swamps and jungles, he still wanted to smuggle more into the country. methinks he had more sinister intentions (snakes on a plane comes to mind).

You don't knw hw much he z gon make if he had succeeded in smuggling those snakes, if yu want to make millions of dollars over-night juz do snake business in brazil, it gives money like drug biz....talking frm xperience o, cuz my fwend in sa here is into d game

why on earth wil sum1 choose 2 smuggle snake as 4 me sum pple r crazy if really d man had gud intention wit those snakes he wld ave transport them thru d rit means

omigie1: why on earth wil sum1 choose 2 smuggle snake as 4 me sum pple r crazy if really d man had gud intention wit those snakes he wld ave transport them thru d rit means

You re right bro, he wuda transported them thru d right means

PhysicsQED:

I hope hes not black.

MsDarkSkin: I hope hes not black.

he might be black o! Who knows.

DPlease pardon my ignorance,but Of what use is a snake .What kind of bussiness do Brazillians do with it?Me think ,we should be working together to send those creatures into extinction.Mosquitoes too!,Argh

Every crazy thing happens in this Florida

Snakes on a plane?!! Can you just imagine what happens when they get loose?

I for jump outta plane window o

I hate snakes!!

it only happens in country like brazil, india, venezuela and the likes

Ileke-IdI:
Every crazy thing happens in this Florida

Snakes on a plane?!! Can you just imagine what happens when they get loose?

I for jump outta plane window o

Or like that nepal man, u for bite any snake that comes ur way inside the plane. How about that for a real naija guy

The man wants to re-enact snakes in the plane. Na the passengers I go pity pass.