Tokyo Police Arrest Mexican Man Over 200 Lizards in 22 Socks as Tip Exposed $630 Resale Plan
Updated
Updated · Operation Sports · Aug 17
Tokyo Police Arrest Mexican Man Over 200 Lizards in 22 Socks as Tip Exposed $630 Resale Plan
3 articles · Updated · Operation Sports · Aug 17
Summary
Haneda Airport officers arrested 23-year-old Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltazar on Aug. 8 after finding about 200 live lizards hidden in 22 pairs of socks inside his suitcase.
A late-July anonymous tip prompted Japanese authorities to prepare for his arrival from South Korea, pull him from the baggage line and conduct a manual search that uncovered the reptiles.
Baltazar told investigators he bought the animals in Mexico for $3 to $5 each and planned to sell them in Japan for about 100,000 yen, or roughly $630, apiece ahead of a wildlife exhibition.
At least nine of the seized animals were endangered Mexican alligator lizards, one reptile died during the flight, and the survivors were sent for care at a local zoo during the court case.
The case underscores Japan's role as a major exotic-pet market, with WWF data placing it among the top five destinations for six reptile species in 2025.