Border Police Bust Man Entering Country with 52 Reptiles Hidden in His Clothing

By Tim Binnall

Authorities in California arrested a man attempting to enter the United States from Mexico with a staggering 52 snakes and lizards hidden in his clothing. The bizarre bust reportedly occurred late last month at the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego when an unnamed 30-year-old American man was attempting to return to the country and was stopped for an enhanced inspection. Although officers did not find anything out of the ordinary while searching the man's vehicle, an examination of the driver himself revealed that he wasn't exactly traveling alone.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, cops discovered that the man was carrying a slew of small plastic bags containing some rather peculiar cargo. Specifically, the agency says, the driver had nine snakes and a whopping 43 horned lizards hidden throughout his jacket and pants. As one might imagine, the man was promptly arrested for the smuggling attempt and could face serious legal trouble as some of the species found in his possession are considered endangered.