TOKYO –
A 23-year-old Mexican nationwide has been arrested on suspicion of trying to smuggle endangered lizards into Japan after customs officers at Haneda Airport found about 200 reptiles hid inside 22 pairs of socks.
Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltasar was seen leaving a police station sporting a masks on the morning of August 12. He is suspected of trying to illegally import 9 endangered arboreal alligator lizards from South Korea.
Customs officers inspecting his baggage discovered lizards inside socks whose ends had been tied shut. The socks had been wrapped in T-shirts and hid in a suitcase, in response to investigators.
The Metropolitan Police Department mentioned Velasco Baltasar had hidden a complete of about 200 lizards inside 22 pairs of socks.
The arboreal alligator lizard is a uncommon species that’s extremely fashionable as a pet and might promote for round 100,000 yen every.
Velasco Baltasar is suspected of trying to convey the animals into Japan with out the required authorization. He has admitted the allegations, telling investigators that he bought the lizards in Mexico for about 750 yen every.
Source: FNN