Man with suitcase full of snakes stopped at German airport
The man, a Mexican firefighter, looked "nervous" as he tried to leave Cologne Airport, officials say.
**Man with suitcase full of snakes stopped at German airport**
**Not all the snakes and lizards were alive, officials said**
A man was stopped at Cologne Bonn Airport in Germany after attempting to smuggle in more than 90 lizards and venomous snakes.
Customs officials said the 45-year-old Mexican firefighter appeared "conspicuously nervous" as he tried to pass through the green - nothing to declare - exit at the airport.
They carried out a drugs test on the man, which came back positive for cocaine, before searching his suitcase.
No drugs were found, but officers discovered vipers, rattlesnakes and other species of snakes and lizards, including iguanas, concealed in shampoo and cream bottles, plastic containers and balls of socks.
"My colleagues at the airport are used to a lot when it comes to souvenirs in suitcases, but we've never had 37 live venomous snakes and 55 lizards from Mexico before," said Jens Ahland, spokesman for the Cologne Customs office.
Ahland said some of the animals were being kept "in inhumane conditions". Others had died during the journey from Mexico City via Istanbul.
The man, who has not been named, told officers he had brought the animals back as a favour for a Brazilian acquaintance.
He was refused entry to Germany and flown back to Istanbul.
The surviving animals are now being cared for at a snake farm in Germany.
"Last year, we had over 1,300 seizures nationwide involving more than 56,600 protected animals and plants or products made from them," the Customs spokesman said.
Six years ago, 26 rare reptiles - 10 of them dead - smuggled inside parcels of toys and sweets from Mexico were found by customs officials at Cologne Bonn Airport.
They were destined for private buyers in Germany.