SYDNEY (Reuters) - A Swedish man has been charged after Australian customs officers found eight dangerous snakes, including four dead king cobras, strapped to his leg after he arrived on a flight from Thailand, officials said on Wednesday.
Australian customs spokesman Chris Schofield said the four king cobras were found dead in containers strapped to the man's calves when he was searched after arriving in Sydney on Monday.
Likely to be hatchlings or babies, they had probably died in transit, he said.
"That's one of the issues concerning fauna smuggling, as well as the quarantine and environmental issues at this end," Schofield told Reuters.
The other four live snakes, which were believed to be emerald tree boas, had been handed over to quarantine authorities and were awaiting identification by experts, he said.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20030924/od_nm/environment_australia_snakes_dc
Australian customs spokesman Chris Schofield said the four king cobras were found dead in containers strapped to the man's calves when he was searched after arriving in Sydney on Monday.
Likely to be hatchlings or babies, they had probably died in transit, he said.
"That's one of the issues concerning fauna smuggling, as well as the quarantine and environmental issues at this end," Schofield told Reuters.
The other four live snakes, which were believed to be emerald tree boas, had been handed over to quarantine authorities and were awaiting identification by experts, he said.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/nm/20030924/od_nm/environment_australia_snakes_dc