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An Israeli man arriving in Tel Aviv from Thailand was reportedly caught with 186 exotic animals in his suitcase.
The suspect, a man in his 20s from Bnei Brak, was flagged by customs inspectors at Ben Gurion Airport (BGA), according to Israeli authorities and as first reported by Israel’s TPS-IL news agency Thursday. The news appears on the government’s customs and immigration website.
The man was smuggling snakes, turtles, crabs, frogs, lizards and other amphibians.
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While going through customs, the individual allegedly entered the green lane, as opposed to the red lane where travelers must declare items.
The seized animals are estimated to be worth tens of thousands of dollars, according to the Israeli Tax Authority, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Nature and Parks Authority.
While all the animals were located alive, officials said the creatures were transported under harsh conditions without food and in extreme heat.
The suspect could be charged with severe abuse as well as violating animal welfare laws.
“These are various species that could become invasive and pose a threat to local wildlife and agriculture,” officials said.
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“Experience shows that smuggled animals arriving without proper veterinary inspection often carry dangerous parasites and diseases, and most die shortly after arrival,” they added.
Passengers can travel with dogs, cats and exotic birds in the plane cabin, according to BGA.
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“In certain instances, [large] animals must be transported as checked baggage,” according to the airport’s website.
“In this case, you must send off the animal at the check-in counter,” says BGA.
“Upon landing, you will retrieve your animal in the Arrivals Hall.”
All pets must be approved by relevant authorities and animals with visible signs of illness may not be approved to fly.
Authorities are working to return the animals to their countries of origin.
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This type of incident reportedly happens from time to time. In July, a similar incident was reported at the same airport when an individual tried to smuggle nearly 140 exotic reptiles and arthropods into the country.
Customs inspectors found iguanas, pythons, tegus and scorpions. One of the snakes in that incident perished during the trip, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The Israel Nature and Parks Authority has previously said that wildlife smuggling and importing protected natural resources into Israel constitute severe violations of multiple laws, according to Israel Hayom.
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