April 23, 2024: A man was arrested from Bengaluru Airport on Monday for trying to smuggle almost 10 yellow anacondas.

The 56-year-old coffee trader had concealed the snakes in his checked-in baggage. He had travelled to the Karnataka capital from Bangkok on a Thai AirAsia flight April 20.

The Bengaluru Customs informed, “The person was tempted by the prospect of making easy money. Someone at the Bangkok airport has approached him and promised Rs 20,000 if he handed over the suitcase to someone in Bengaluru. He agreed to do it. This individual had visited Bangkok as a tourist.”

As per sources, Yellow anacondas can fetch anywhere between Rs 40,000 to Rs 1 lakh each on the market. These snakes are often targeted by smugglers to be sold as exotic pets.