Indian smuggler caught with 44 venomous vipers in luggage
A passenger smuggling dozens of venomous vipers was stopped after flying into the financial capital Mumbai from
Thailand , according to Indian customs officials.
The snakes, which included 44 Indonesian pit vipers, were 'concealed in checked-in baggage', Mumbai Customs said in a statement late on Sunday.
'An Indian national arriving from Thailand was arrested,' it added.
The passenger, details of whom were not released, also had three spider-tailed horned vipers – which are venomous, but usually only target small prey such as birds – as well as five Asian leaf turtles.
Three spider-tailed horned vipers were also found in the passenger's luggage on Sunday. Photo: X/MumbaiCus3
Mumbai Customs issued photographs of the seized snakes, including blue and yellow reptiles squirming in a bucket.
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