You know that old snake in a can gag-the one where a snake pops out of a can of nuts when you open the lid and it makes you jump a mile?
Well, it's a lot less funny in real life.
A man was arrested on Tuesday after he was found smuggling three live king cobras in a potato chip canister through the mail.
The three snakes were each around two feet long and discovered in March by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents when they were inspecting the package that arrived from Hong Kong.
According to a report in Time, Rodrigo Franco was arraigned on Tuesday, July 25, in Los Angeles for illegally importing the merchandise. The snakes are protected under the Endangered Species Act, and importing them violates the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
In addition to the snakes, there were reportedly three albino Chinese soft-shelled turtles. However, those were deemed to be legal and were delivered to Franco's home in Monterey Park, California.
The story is eerily similar to one previously reported by TravelPulse in which five juvenile king cobras and three geckos were found in a package of express mail from Hong Kong. Those snakes were found in a Styrofoam casing with rows of holes, which allowed the creatures to survive the journey.
[READMORE]READ MORE: Would You Rather: Bees or Snakes on Your Plane?[/READMORE]
In Los Angeles, the discovery of the snakes, as well as the interception of an illegal shipment containing six protected species of turtles that were being shipped to Hong Kong, led agents to raid Franco's home.
The raid led to more discoveries of rare reptiles, including alligator snapping turtles, a common snapping turtle and five diamondback terrapins.
Franco has been charged with one count of illegally importing merchandise into the United States. He could face up to 20 years in prison.
The package likely arrived by air and possibly as part of the cargo that regularly travels via passenger plane. Most airlines allow space for generic cargo, so if you have ever wondered what is underneath your feet as you fly-remember, there could be something slithering below.
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