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NEWS: Snakes in a Gnome (and lizards)

bps516 Jun 19, 2007 08:06 AM

while it doesn't list the snakes and lizards involved, you just gotta laugh...

from 11alive.com in atlanta-

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- What's in a gnome? For surprised Australian customs officials, the answer was snakes and lizards.

During a routine check of international mail on June 10, an officer discovered two snakes and three lizards stuffed inside three of the diminutive garden figurines in a shipment from Britain.

"When the package was opened, the officer spotted several snakes moving about. The package was immediately resealed," Australian customs said Tuesday in a statement.

A day later, officials at the same facility X-rayed another package from Britain and found five snakes and five lizards stuffed inside pottery figures and other ornaments.

Both packages had been had been declared as gifts.

It was not immediately clear what types of snakes and lizards were in the shipments.

It is illegal to bring live reptiles into Australia without a license. No one was arrested over the incident, but customs said its investigation was continuing.

Wildlife smuggling carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and fines of up to $92,000 if convicted.

The reptiles had to be euthanized due to quarantine regulations.

(Copyright © 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=98821
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Bryan, Atlanta GA

0-1-0 Rescued Ball Python - Athena (formerly Apep)
0-0-1 Rescued Bearded Dragon - Zeus
0-0-1 Rescued Non-Alpha Green Iguana - Bud
2-3-0 Rescued Rats... no wait... ROTTEN Little Cats - Ra, Vader, Bastet, Isis, Angel
1-0-0 Horse... whoops... BIG Golden Retriever - Jake
0-1-0 Wife
2-0-0 Kids

Replies (2)

melindaste Jun 19, 2007 08:55 AM

Kinda sad really that they had to die because of a human trying to import them.

jyohe Jun 19, 2007 03:10 PM

a $92,000 cornsnake I bet,,,,,,,,,

gotta love Ausseys.......nothing in,,nothing out........and don't touch what is already here.....people included.....

.....America hardly has any laws....

on people that is.......

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so many babies.--so little time....
not to mention space......
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