Customs Officers Shocked to Find 200 Rare Lizards in Socks

Aug 13, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A 23-year-old Mexican national has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle endangered lizards into Japan after customs officers at Haneda Airport discovered about 200 reptiles concealed inside 22 pairs of socks.

Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltasar was seen leaving a police station wearing a mask on the morning of August 12. He is suspected of attempting to illegally import nine endangered arboreal alligator lizards from South Korea.

Customs officers examining his luggage found lizards inside socks whose ends had been tied shut. The socks had been wrapped in T-shirts and concealed in a suitcase, according to investigators.

The Metropolitan Police Department said Velasco Baltasar had hidden a total of about 200 lizards inside 22 pairs of socks.

The arboreal alligator lizard is a rare species that is highly popular as a pet and can sell for around 100,000 yen each.

Velasco Baltasar is suspected of attempting to bring the animals into Japan without the required authorization. He has admitted the allegations, telling investigators that he purchased the lizards in Mexico for about 750 yen each.

Source: FNN

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