A man who traveled from Thailand to India tried to sneak 47 venomous snakes into the country. He hid them in his luggage.
The snakes included 3 cobras, 5 Asian leaf turtles, and 44 common sand boas.
Indian customs officers found the snakes at the Mumbai airport.
The man, whose name wasn’t released, was arrested on June 1, 2024.
It’s not clear where the snakes came from.
Rules for Bringing Animals into India
India has laws to protect wildlife. Some animals are banned from being brought into the country.
People need permits to bring certain animals into India.
This isn’t the first time someone tried to sneak animals into India.
In January, a Canadian man was caught with crocodile skulls in his luggage.
In February, a man was caught with 5 slow lorises, which are endangered, in his luggage.
Past Cases
In November, two passengers were caught with 12 exotic turtles after arriving from Bangkok.
These cases show that people try to smuggle animals into India.
Source: BBC