Traveler Arrested At Tokyo Airport With 200 Lizards Hidden In Socks

Traveler Arrested At Tokyo Airport With 200 Lizards Hidden In Socks
Jimbo,
A Yurikamome Line Train Runs With City Skyline In Background, In Tokyo
A train of the Yurikamome line, a driverless automatic train system, runs with the city skyline in the background, in Tokyo, Japan, April 21, 2021. Picture taken April 21, 2021. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

A 23-year-old traveler was arrested at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport after customs officials discovered approximately 200 lizards concealed inside 22 pairs of socks within his luggage. Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltazar had arrived from South Korea when the reptiles were found. One animal was already dead upon discovery. The haul included nine Mexican alligator lizards, a protected endangered species subject to strict international trade regulations. Baltazar allegedly told investigators he purchased the lizards in Mexico for roughly $3.50 to $4.70 each, while some species can sell for around $630 in Japan. “If there’s a market for it, people will attempt to smuggle it,” said one security employee. “It happens more frequently than any of us would like.” Story URL

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