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Iberia passenger tries to smuggle snakes on to plane
30 Dec 2011
The seemingly ridiculous plot of the movie Snakes on a Plane nearly became reality when airport staff in Buenos Aires, Argentina, found nearly 250 venomous and endangered reptiles in a passenger's bag.
Karel Abelovsky, a 51-year-old man from the Czech Republic, was trying to board an Iberia flight to Prague when officials spotted the unusual items and asked him to open his luggage.
They discovered pit vipers, coral snakes and boa constrictors in the bags, along with lizards and spiders inside plastic containers, bags and even a few socks, all labelled with their Latin names.
It is believed the man was working for a criminal organisation and was trying to smuggle the exotic animals for illegal sale overseas.
A source from the office of Judge Marcelo Aguinsky told the Associated Press: 'The airport workers couldn't believe it when they saw the movement inside the suitcase. It was like a cartoon.'
Mr Abelovsky was released on bail after handing over his passport, while his unusual travelling companions were taken to Buenos Aires Zoo and are being held under quarantine.
Opodo cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!
Karel Abelovsky, a 51-year-old man from the Czech Republic, was trying to board an Iberia flight to Prague when officials spotted the unusual items and asked him to open his luggage.
They discovered pit vipers, coral snakes and boa constrictors in the bags, along with lizards and spiders inside plastic containers, bags and even a few socks, all labelled with their Latin names.
It is believed the man was working for a criminal organisation and was trying to smuggle the exotic animals for illegal sale overseas.
A source from the office of Judge Marcelo Aguinsky told the Associated Press: 'The airport workers couldn't believe it when they saw the movement inside the suitcase. It was like a cartoon.'
Mr Abelovsky was released on bail after handing over his passport, while his unusual travelling companions were taken to Buenos Aires Zoo and are being held under quarantine.
Opodo cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!
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