LOS ANGELES — A man in Monterey Park is facing charges of illegally importing merchandise, namely six smuggled live reptiles.
In March of 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a parcel from Hong Kong that raised some red flags. The package was stuffed with a few cans of potato chips, but inside the cans were three venomous king cobras, each roughly 2 feet in length. Three albino Chinese softshell turtles were also found.
The shipment was addressed to Rodrigo Franco, 34, who consequently had his home searched by federal agents this week. According to the prosecutor, the agents found tanks with alligator snapping turtles, a common snapping turtle, five diamondback terrapins, and a baby Morelet's crocodile inside a child's bedroom.
CBS News reports that all the animals recovered are protected species under U.S. law. If convicted, Franco could be forced to serve a prison term of up to 20 years.
