An airline passenger has been arrested for attempting to smuggle hundreds of poisonous snakes in his checked luggage.

Airport news for Travel,Flights on 29/12/2011.

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Argentinean authorities revealed today that 51 year-old Czech Karel Abelovsky was recently arrested at Buenos Aires airport saw over 240 poisonous and endangered snake specimens in his luggage via x-ray scanners whilst en route to Spain.

Police said the animals were placed in small containers, socks and bags, each one with Latin names for the species labelled on the outside and that the man is believed to have been transporting the snakes on behalf of an exotic species smuggling ring.

The bag contained several pit vipers, coral snakes and boa constrictors, in addition to spiders and lizards, authorities said. They added that it was possible that many of the animals and insects could have escaped the cloth piece of luggage whilst in the aircraft’s unpressurised cabin and attacked baggage handlers on arrival.

Abelovsky has since been released after paying bond of about $2,500 (£1,620) and continues to remain silent upon questioning despite facing prison time of up to 10 years.

Spokeswoman Martina Kankova said on behalf of Czech authorities that 55 of the country’s citizens had been detained for allegedly smuggling endangered species. She added however that they still have no background information on Mr Abelovsky.

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