Four women have been caught attempting to smuggle rare snakes in their bras.
The women, who have not been identified, were carrying eight live pythons between them.
Despite trying to conceal them in their underwear, they were snapped up by customs officers after one of them acted suspiciously.
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Each of the women was investigated and inspected, leading to the discovery of the reptiles.
A customs officer was supervising inbound travellers when they spotted a female passenger looking panicked and flustered.
Customs officers immediately intercepted and inspected the woman alongside three other female travellers.
After searching for the first woman, two live snakes wrapped in cotton socks were found hidden in her bra.
The three other women each carried two live snakes in the exact same way, as reported by Need To Know.
At the time, the four were at Futian Port, trying to pass through Huanggang Customs, in Shenzhen, to get to mainland China last Friday (10 January).
Futian Port is a checkpoint which sits between mainland China and Hong Kong.
After being questioned, the four passengers claimed that they were given the task by a third party requiring them to bring the snakes into the territory.
They also mentioned that they charged a carrying fee for their work, however the amount is not known.
The snakes were later identified by the Animal and Plant Inspection and Quarantine Technical Center of Shenzhen Customs as ball pythons.
The animals were included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Mainland Customs reminds others that according to several laws, it is forbidden to bring endangered species into the area.
Anybody attempting to pass through the border with wild animals and plants must legally hold an import and export certificate.
If the circumstances surrounding the smuggling of animals are serious and constitute a crime, a criminal investigation may begin.
The snakes were taken from the women by customs.
The case is being investigated.
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