A man was caught trying to sneak more than 100 live snakes through customs – in his trousers.
He stuffed the slippery creatures into plastic bags and then down his trousers, Chinese officials have revealed.
The unnamed traveller was halted by customs officers as he attempted to slink out of semi-autonomous Hong Kong with his reptilian cargo in tow.
He was headed towards Shenzhen, according to a statement from China Customs on Tuesday, as reported by CBS News.
Customs officials said: “Customs officers discovered that the pockets of the trousers the passenger was wearing were packed with six canvas drawstring bags and sealed with tape
“Once opened, each bag was found to contain living snakes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colours,” the agency added.
Footage released by the agency shows gobsmacked border agents peering into the clear bags filled with the wriggling, vibrant serpents.
In total, China Customs confiscated 104 snakes, many of which are non-native species.
China is one of the world’s biggest hotspots for illegal animal trafficking, but authorities have recently been making strides to clamp down on the trade, CBS reports.
Strict biosecurity and disease control regulations prohibit anyone from bringing non-native species into the country without authorisation.
The customs authority released a statement warning others thinking of doing the same thing.
“Those who break the rules will be… held liable in accordance with the law,” without detailing the man’s punishment.