Russian woman attempted to smuggle 116 endangered lizards hidden in…
Russian woman attempted to smuggle 116 endangered lizards hidden in the lining of her coat through the Kaliningrad border checkpoint into Poland, but was intercepted by customs officials. The lizards, identified as the rare 'earless round-headed' species listed in Russia's Red Book, were found without documentation and were transferred to a local exotic animal center.
Consensus
- 116 rare lizards were found hidden in the lining of a woman's coat at the Mamonovo-2 border checkpoint in Kaliningrad Oblast.
- The lizards were identified as the 'earless round-headed' species, listed in Russia's Red Book.
- The woman was traveling from Russia to Poland by bus.
- The lizards were packed in burlap sacks, with 3–5 individuals per sack.
- No documentation was found for the lizards.
- The woman admitted she was transporting the lizards for payment.
- An administrative case was opened against her under Article 16.1, Part 2 of the Russian Code of Administrative Offenses (concealment of goods from customs control).
- The lizards were transferred to a local center for assistance to exotic animals.
- The incident occurred on August 25.
- The woman was intercepted during a customs inspection.
Points of divergence
- The woman and a man previously attempted to smuggle over 700 squirrel pelts to China and were detained at Sheremetyevo Airport; criminal charges were filed and they were sent to pre-trial detention. — vm
Coverage (6 sources)
- More than a hundred red-listed lizards attempted to be transported by a Russian woman in a jacket lining — Фонтанка
- Russian woman tried to transport more than a hundred live lizards to Germany — Коммерсантъ
- Kaliningrad customs officials prevented export of more than a hundred red-listed lizards — Интерфакс
- 116 red-listed lizards found by Kaliningrad customs officers in the lining of a passenger's coat who was traveling to Poland — ТАСС (Telegram)
- Russian woman tried to smuggle 116 red-listed lizards through border in coat — Вечерняя Москва
- More than a hundred live red-listed lizards seized at the border in Kaliningrad — woman tried to smuggle them in a jacket lining to... — Baza