CBC (Toronto, Ontario) 17 October 04 Customs thwarts reptile smugglers
Sydney, Australia: Customs agents found some slippery stowaways as they were checking cargo about to leave Australia from Sydney airport Sunday.
They discovered 50 black shingleback lizards, wrapped tightly in socks and towels.
The packages, intercepted by the airport's mail-handling unit, were headed for Japan.
Customs agents also found an eastern long-neck turtle and an inland bearded dragon.
The director of investigations for Customs in New South Wales, Robert Viles, says many of the animals could have died during the journey.
It's not clear why they were being smuggled to Japan.
Customs thwarts reptile smugglers