Tokyo Police Arrest Mexican Man Over 200 CITES Lizards Hidden in 22 Pairs of Socks
Updated
Updated · Nippon.com · Aug 12
Tokyo Police Arrest Mexican Man Over 200 CITES Lizards Hidden in 22 Pairs of Socks
3 articles · Updated · Nippon.com · Aug 12
Summary
Tokyo police said Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltazar, 23, was arrested after customs officers at Haneda Airport found 200 lizards concealed in 22 pairs of socks in his luggage.
Nine of the animals were terrestrial arboreal alligator lizards whose international trade is restricted under CITES, and police said he tried to bring them in from South Korea without declaring them.
Velasco admitted the allegations, investigators said; one lizard was already dead when the animals were discovered.
He told police he had bought the lizards in Mexico for about 560 to 750 each, underscoring the gap between purchase prices and the tighter controls on protected species.