Japan arrests Mexican traveller after 200 lizards found hidden in socks at Tokyo airport
Nine reptiles identified as endangered Mexican alligator lizards
Dubai: Japanese authorities arrested a 23-year-old Mexican man at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport after finding about 200 lizards concealed in 22 pairs of socks and clothing inside his luggage, police said.
Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltazar had arrived in Japan from South Korea when customs officers searched his baggage following a tip-off about suspected reptile smuggling.
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One lizard was found dead, while the suspect admitted importing the animals without the required permits, according to authorities.
Preliminary examinations identified nine of the reptiles as Mexican alligator lizards (Abronia graminea), an endangered species native to Mexico. The genus is subject to international trade controls under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Police said the suspect had bought the lizards in Mexico for between 560 and 750 yen each. Some species could fetch around 100,000 yen ($640) each in Japan.
Investigators suspect the reptiles were intended for display and sale and are working to identify the remaining species. The case highlights concerns over the illegal international trade in rare and endangered wildlife.
