49 Lizards For Lunch? Man Attempts To Smuggle Exotic Meal Into Germany

A man was stopped by customs officials in Munich, Germany, after 49 lizards were discovered in his bag. But the man insisted that he wasn’t in the exotic animal trade… he was just hungry.

The Straits Time reports that the 28-year-old man was on his way back from Oman when he was stopped by customs officials. Security found 31 spiny-tailed lizards, as well as 18 other reptiles, in his bag. The man offered to bite the heads off of one of the lizards to prove that he was only carrying his lunch across the border.

Mr Thomas Meister, a spokesman for German customs, said that the man was trying to claim his cargo as “foodstuffs” instead of live animals. Meister said:

“The traveler even wanted to bite the head off one of the spiny-tailed lizards in front of the customs official.”

Naijanedu.com reports that the custom officials refused the traveler’s offer. Instead, the customs official decided to confiscate the 47 lizards and report the traveler.

Meister said in a statement:

“The man will probably get a fine of at least 1,000 euros ($1,300). The animals are now being housed in the proper conditions and are in the rudest of health.”