Sri Lanka, Sept. 12 -- A 40-year-old Sri Lankan woman was arrested by customs officers while attempting to smuggle six live exotic snakes into the country at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

The arrest was made by officers from the Narcotic Control Unit in collaboration with the Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Unit. The passenger had arrived from Bangkok via Chennai on IndiGo Airlines flight 6E1173, with the reptiles concealed in her checked-in luggage.

The seized snakes included:

1 Speckled Kingsnake 1 Yellow Anaconda 3 Honduran Milk Snakes 1 Ball Python All species are listed under CITES Appendix II, reflecting strict international regulations due to risks from the exotic pet trade.

The Department of...