Officials at Berlin Schönefeld airport discovered a suspicious package inside a passenger’s pants – a boa snake.
The 43-year-old man was attempting to pass through customs on his way to Israel when he was apprehended by security staff, who discovered the reptile concealed in his underwear.
Border police were called, who made the man remove the unlikely parcel from his underwear. He proceeded to produce a small fabric bag containing the 40cm long serpent.
The smuggler did not possess any credible documentation in relation to the animal, resulting in the creature being confiscated by officials.
It was then transported to a reptile rescue centre in Brandenburg/Havel.
Despite their fearsome reputation, boas are calm animals and not venomous.
The man is currently awaiting sentencing in relation to the smuggling attempt.
It’s not the first time that attempts have been made to smuggle snakes through an airport.
In July 2018, a passenger flying from Miami International Airport hid a python in a nylon stocking and concealed it in an external hard drive which she carried in her hand luggage. Staff from the Transportation Security Administration discovered the animal after a screening of the woman’s hand luggage revealed a large “organic mass".
And, in September 2018, a man travelling through Düsseldorf Airport to Moscow was found with 20 snakes in his carry-on bag.
Other animals discovered by airport officials in 2018 included monkeys, cats and birds.
There are no restrictions on bringing pet rodents, rabbits, birds, invertebrates, amphibians and reptiles to the UK from other EU countries, although many animals must spend time in quarantine prior to their arrival in the UK.
Travellers transporting animals must also carry the correct documentation and special rules apply to animals that are not native to the UK.
Passengers seeking to transport animals internationally should consult the government guidelines for more information about how to do this safely and legally.
