A 23-year-old Mexican citizen, Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltazar, was detained at Tokyo's Haneda Airport after attempting to smuggle about 200 live lizards hidden in socks and T-shirts, according to infohub.kz.
The passenger arrived from South Korea. During a search of his suitcase, customs officers found the reptiles packed in 22 pairs of socks and wrapped in T-shirts. One of the animals did not survive the transport and died.
According to The Times of India, police had received a tip-off about possible smuggling in advance, after which airport staff were placed on heightened alert.
Among the seized reptiles, experts identified at least nine specimens of tree abronias, also known as Mexican alligator lizards. This species is endangered, and its international trade is strictly regulated.
The suspect admitted guilt and explained that he had purchased the lizards in Mexico for between $3.5 and $4.7 each, hoping to resell them at an exhibition in Japan, where individual specimens can fetch up to $630.
An investigation has been launched against the detainee for violating customs laws and illegally importing rare species. Authorities are continuing to determine the species of the remaining seized reptiles.