A man aged 30 was caught with 52 snakes and lizards hidden in his clothes, trying to pass US border agents in California.

Agents discovered the reptiles in small bags hidden in the pockets, jacket and groin of the man.

Authorities said that nine snakes were found and 43 horned Lizards were among the reptiles. Some of these reptiles are endangered.

After being pulled over at the border crossing of San Ysidro and Mexico on 25 February, US Customs and Border Protection, (CBP), said that the truck driver was a US citizen and was taken into custody.

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Sidney Aki is the customs and border protection field operations director in San Diego. He said that the smuggler tried to trick officers into bringing the animals to the US, “without taking care of the safety and health of the animals”.

He said that smugglers would try any means to get their product (or in this instance live reptiles) across the border.