Austrian customs officials have discovered almost 90 reptiles carefully concealed in the luggage of a traveler arriving from Ethiopia, with an estimated resale value of approximately $46,000, as announced by Austrian authorities on Tuesday. “To their dismay, they stumbled upon an initially immeasurable quantity of unprotected reptiles,” explained the Ministry of Finance in a statement, noting that the seizure took place on May 23.

Austrian Customs Seize Nearly 90 Reptiles Worth $46,000 in Luggage

The suspected smuggler, a 50-year-old Czech national, attempted to evade inspection by using the passenger exit designated for those without goods to declare. However, he was apprehended by agents who had been alerted to potential risks surrounding a flight originating from Addis Ababa.

“Some of the cramped animals already showed obvious signs of dehydration,” but they have “all recovered well,” added the ministry, which also released photos. The reptiles were immediately sent to the Vienna Zoo for care.

In total, 85 geckos of various species, two snakes, and two scorpions were rescued. The sale of these animals would have earned the fifty-year-old smuggler nearly $46,000, according to customs calculations. During questioning, the traveler claimed that the geckos were of little value in his opinion and that he had brought them back to feed his snakes.