Hundreds of cobras seized in Thai customs bust
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An official shows one of 600 cobras seized by the Thai Customs Department at a press conference in Bangkok Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2012. The snakes were contained in sacks and plastic containers on a pickup truck and were being delivered to a foreign destination, according to authorities. -- PHOTO: AP
BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai customs officers have seized hundreds of cobras being smuggled through the country for use in traditional medicine as a supposed sexual aid, an official said on Wednesday.
The 600 deadly wild snakes were discovered on Monday night in crates on a truck when it was stopped at a checkpoint in the south of the country.
"They were in blue net bags, they could breathe through the net - there were about five cobras in each bag," the customs official told AFP, requesting anonymity.
Estimating the total number of snakes at around 600, he said a full count would take place on Wednesday night as it was too dangerous to do it without extra help.
