Austrian customs seize scores of reptiles in baggage

Austrian officials on Tuesday reported that airport staff found 85 geckos, two snakes, and two scorpions in the luggage of a traveler who had arrived on a plane from Ethiopia.

Officers detained the man on suspicion of criminal smuggling of the animals, which were said to be in a "very poor state of health."

What happened at the airport

The Austrian Finance and Customs Ministry announced details of the discovery, saying customs officials were already aware of the passenger after carrying out a risk assessment.

They detained the 50-year-old Czech citizen as he left the baggage reclamation area via the green channel for passengers with nothing to declare.

The officials found the animals in three transport boxes concealed inside several bags belonging to the man.

The reptiles were of an estimated €47,000 ($51,000) value.

Upon questioning, he said the geckos were not particularly valuable and that he had planned to feed them to his snakes.

The creatures were said to have been in a "very bad" condition and were already showing signs of dehydration.

The prices for geckos on the reptile market range from €250 up to some €600, while snakes and scorpions of the species picked up cost around €250 each.

Animals handed over to zoo

Finance and Customs Minister Magnus Brunne praised customs officials' experience and expertise in carrying out the search.

As well as protecting the animals, he said, such work also helps protect the interests of responsible companies dealing in reptiles against criminal smugglers' business model.

For safety, and so that experts could check on the exact species of each animal, the customs staff handed the reptiles over to Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo.

There were several gecko species — including the rare Namib gecko — as well as the scorpions and the Namibian house snakes. The zoo reported that all had recovered well from their ordeal.

Edited by Jenipher Camino Gonzalez