An Israeli man was arrested at Ben Gurion Airport for allegedly trying to smuggle rare lizards, snakes and tortoises into the country illegally by concealing them in sports socks found in his luggage, Israel Police said on Monday.
The police said that the suspect, a resident of Petah Tikva near Tel Aviv in his 30s, was detained at the airport on Sunday at the end of a targeted covert operation after trying to illegally smuggle the reptilians on his person.
The suspect was taken by airport security officers for questioning, by the end of which he was transferred to the hands of Agriculture Ministry inspectors.
The police said that the reptiles were handed over to the Israel Nature and Parks Authority which said that importation of any animal into Israel requires an import license and a pertinent health certificate.
It further stated that importing protected wildlife without permission is a criminal offense that may endanger humans and nature alike and entails significant punishment under Israeli law.
This is not the first time someone has tried to smuggle live creatures through Ben Gurion Airport.
Last December, an Israeli man returning from Scotland was caught trying to smuggle 330 lobsters into Israel in his suitcase.