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Man arrested at LAX with a chest full of lizards

21-11-2009 by Scott Carmichael, Gadling.com, USA


Customs officials at Los Angeles airport caught a 40 year old passenger trying to sneak past them with undeclared lizards. Most smugglers hide their loot in their luggage, but this guy had strapped eleven skinks, two geckos and two monitor lizards to his chest.

They had been smuggled from Australia, and he obviously did not have an import permit for them.

Surprisingly, this is the second time in a month that a passenger tried to pull this stunt. Back in October, we wrote about a Norwegian passenger who strapped pythons and geckos to himself. The man has been released on a $10,000 bond, and is expected to be face the court next month.

There is apparently a big market for these animals, and since many of them are strictly regulated, people are willing to pay top Dollar to add them to their collection. The lizards caught in LA were worth just under $600 each.

(Bron: http://www.gadling.com/)
(Bron foto: Gadling.com)