THE Huanggang Customs disclosed over the weekend that police at Futian Checkpoint had busted a man carrying 90 live lizards while crossing the border, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

    According to a release by the customs, the man in his 30s was carrying a plastic bag and trying to avoid customs inspection on the night of Jan. 4. The man was walking quickly with his head down.

    The customs officers at the checkpoint noticed the man with a heavy-looking plastic bag and stopped him for inspection. The man said there were only some clothes in the bag.

    However, the officers noticed that something was moving inside the bag even though they saw nothing more than a few long-sleeved shirts.

    Upon opening up the plastic bag, the officers found a net in which live lizards were tied up by strings. There were a total of nine bundles, each with 10 lizards tied together.

    The lizards were colorful, bright and of all different sizes, with the smallest one shorter than 10 centimeters and the big ones longer than 20 centimeters.

    The man said that he was going to keep some of the lizards as pets and would sell or give away the rest. All of the lizards have been sent to the inspection and quarantine department.

    Staffers with Huanggang Customs said it has become trendy for some people to keep reptiles, such as lizards and beetles, as pets, and some even attempt to bring live animals from overseas, which is an illegal action because the live animals might carry harmful germs or microorganisms that could impact the local ecological environment.

    According to related laws, each traveler can only carry one cat or dog, and must obtain a quarantine certification upon entering the country. (Zhang Qian)