Customs officials have arrested a Russian man at Amsterdam’s international airport after dozens of poisonous snakes and frogs were found hidden in his luggage.
The man, who was en route to Russia, was detained on a stopover at Schiphol airport after a trip to Brazil, the , the Dutch food and animal watchdog said on Wednesday.
“There were dozens of live snakes, frogs, cockroaches and lizards hidden in his luggage. A large number of these animals are extremely poisonous,” the food and consumer safety authority (NVWA) said.
The find included 26 highly poisonous lancehead vipers, 10 poisonous frogs, 33 cockroaches and rare lizards.
The animals were stashed in plastic buckets with lids and placed in the man’s backpack.
“The man has seriously harmed the animals by stuffing them into these plastic buckets, therefore a charge of cruelty to animals has been opened,” the NVWA said.
The man remained in custody while further investigations continued. The reptiles and insects were taken to an animal shelter.