A woman was caught smuggling four endangered snakes in her bra at a ferry port.
The wriggling reptiles were ball pythons (Python regius), categorised as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
They are also a protected species in China where it is illegal to keep them as a pet.
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The suspect was caught with the snakes at Futian Port situated on the border between mainland China and Hong Kong.
Customs officials noticed the female passenger appearing flustered as she tried to hurry through security checks.
She said she had nothing to declare, but officials thought otherwise.
They stopped the woman for a physical inspection and were stunned to find four pythons wrapped in socks that were apparently stuffed into her bra.
During questioning, the suspect said she had been entrusted by others to transport the reptiles onto the mainland for a small “carrying fee”.
Officials identified the snakes as ball pythons, listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The animals were seized by the authorities as the investigation continues.
Last week, a woman was stopped at Miami International Airport in the US with two turtles stuffed down her brassiere, as reported by Need To Know.
The Transportation Security Administration said one of the reptiles had died, apparently while in the woman’s underwear.
The federal agency added: “We want you to be able to travel with your pets, and you turtle-ly can, but please travel with them safely.”
