A Los Angeles resident was popped by the Feds after being caught smuggling three king cobras — a known endangered species — into the country inside of small potato chip cans.
An affidavit from the California city’s District Attorney’s Office names Rodrigo Franco, 34, on suspicion of importing the deadly reptiles and several other creatures from Hong Kong through United States Borders and Customs, as CNN reports.
According to the Washington Post , Franco conspired with a contact in the Asian province, a male named Ji Anji, by phone and text to transport the slithering king cobras, around two feet long each, to America inside of canisters of potato chips , in an effort to shield them from Customs agents.
The cans were then packaged and shipped off to Franco, where they were intercepted by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, FOX 12 -Oregon notes, along with a collection of other endangered animals including, but not limited to six rare types of turtles.
“In addition to the snakes, the parcel, sent through the United States Postal Service, contained three albino Chinese soft-shelled turtles,” FOX 12 transcribes from Franco’s affidavit.
In return, “Franco sent a package” back to Mr. Anji in Hong Kong that contained “desert box turtles, three-toed box turtles and ornate box turtles,” FOX 12 adds.
LA County man accused of smuggling 3 king cobra snakes from Hong Kong in potato chip canisters. https://t.co/Yyju4DMnMT
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) July 26, 2017
Rather than confiscate the illegal animals immediately, the Feds instead allowed the shipment of the snake-filled potato chips cans and turtles to continue their journey to Franco’s home, with Customs agents secretly following suit to view the accused in the act of accepting the animals from a United States Postal worker.
Once Franco signed off for the package, the agents moved in and quickly seized the king cobras and other animals, and headed into Franco’s home.
What law officials apparently saw next amounted to, what the Washington Post refers to as, a “twisted petting zoo of protected protected species.”
“[Franco’s] house held a live baby Morelet’s crocodile, alligator snapping turtles, a common snapping turtle and five diamond back terrapin.”
Franco reportedly told the agents that he also received 20 more king cobras in shipments prior to the ones sent in the potato chips cans from Mr. Anji, but they “arrived [to him] dead.”
“The cobras and other reptiles are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora,” the Washington Post reveals of Franco’s offense, “an international agreement designed to save threatened species from endangerment and illegal trade.”
As such, Franco’s smuggling stunt could place him behind federal prison bars for 20, spokespersons for the Justice Department told the Washington Post .
Two of the three king cobras inside of the potato chips cans are now being taken care of at the nearby Los Angeles Zoo. The third, unfortunately, succumbed to injuries it sustained while en route to Franco’s home.
[Featured Image by LenSoMy/iStock]
