Man with suitcase full of venomous snakes stopped at German airport
Por Suha Kidwai — – World RSS Feed
Man with suitcase full of venomous snakes stopped at German airport
Dozens of dangerous reptiles were found stuffed inside toilet bags, shampoo bottles, and socks
Suha Kidwai Friday 16 October 2026 11:03 BST
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German customs officers stopped a man travelling through Cologne Bonn Airport after 92 snakes were discovered in his suitcase.
The 45-year-old Mexican firefighter raised suspicions after appearing visibly nervous while attempting to walk through the airport’s green “nothing to declare” exit following a connecting flight from Mexico City via Istanbul.
Inspectors initially subjected the passenger to a drug screening, which tested positive for cocaine.
While a search of his suitcase did not find any narcotics, officers uncovered an array of wild reptiles concealed inside plastic food tubs, shampoo bottles, cosmetic jars, and rolled-up socks.
The haul included 37 venomous snakes, including vipers and rattlesnakes, as well as various lizards.
“My colleagues at the airport are used to all sorts of travel souvenirs in suitcases, but we’ve never had 37 live venomous snakes and 55 lizards from Mexico before,” said Jens Ahland, a spokesperson for the Cologne Customs office.
Ahland condemned the conditions in which the animals were transported, describing the concealment methods as “inhumane.”
open image in galleryDozens of the animals reportedly died during transit or shortly after discovery, due to severe confinement and lack of ventilation.
The surviving reptiles were transferred to a specialised German snake farm for emergency care.
During questioning, the traveller claimed he was transporting the animals to Europe as a favour for a Brazilian acquaintance.
German border authorities classified the man as a security risk, denied him entry into the country, and have since placed him on a return flight to Istanbul.
Wildlife trafficking remains a persistent issue at German transit hubs. Cologne Bonn Airport has seen similar wildlife smuggling attempts in the past.
Six years ago, customs officers at the same facility intercepted 26 rare Mexican reptiles — 10 of which had died — concealed inside mail parcels disguised as toys and confectionery bound for private collectors across Germany.
In total, over the last year, federal authorities have reported seizing over 56,600 protected animals, plants, and derived flora or fauna across 1,300 separate customs interdictions nationwide.
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