Animals
US Border Agents Find 39 Live Pythons In Truck Heading To Mexico
Border officers in Texas earlier this month seized 39 live pythons from a vehicle leaving the U.S. for Mexico, officials said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working outbound operations at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo on March 5 encountered a 2021 Peterbilt tractor traveling to Mexico and selected the vehicle for secondary inspection.
The driver declared they were not traveling with any prohibited goods, but an inspection revealed 39 live pythons hidden inside the tractor.
CBP seized the tractor and trailer and contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) about the pythons. Wildlife agents took custody of the reptiles, and, “due to their condition,” they were transported to a “controlled environment.”
A total of $34,824 in penalties for export violations were issued in connection with the incident. CBP said the case remains under investigation by both FWS and Homeland Security Investigations.
The importation and exportation of wildlife and other animals is governed by both U.S. and international regulations.
