A live albino alligator was found inside the luggage of a man who was supposed to travel from Germany to Singapore. Security officers at Munich Airport saw the bizarre image through an airport x-ray scanner, revealing that the gator was wrapped in a cling film inside the man's suitcase.
Customs officials opened the man's luggage and confirmed that the alligator was still alive but had barely enough space to breath.
The officers caught the said passenger before boarding his departure plane at Munich Airport. German officials said the man was not named but revealed he was an American traveler, who was responsible for wrapping the 3-foot alligator with only one hole for its nostrils to breath.
Despite smuggling allegations, the officials have not decided on whether the American tourist intended to smuggle the reptile or not.
Live Albino Alligator in Suitcase
A report by Asia One on Tuesday, October 25, mentioned that media reports confirm the accused man of wildlife smuggling is an American national. In a statement earlier in October, the Munich's main Customs office said proceedings have been initiated against the 42-year-old man for the alleged offense that occurred on September 25.
Following the discovery of the alligator, Customs officers and a veterinarian freed the wild animal, which received treatment and has been kept and taken care of at a reptile sanctuary. While details surrounding the motive of the American man remains unclear, airport authorities know that bringing the alligator for the Munich-Singapore flight was unauthorized.
A spokesman for the Munich Customs investigation office told The Strait Times that the passenger's final destination was Singapore. When asked about any information of the American passenger's intention, the spokesman said there is no information about a smuggling intention of the alligator into Singapore. In addition, there was also no information about potential offenders in Singapore amid the investigation.
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Wildlife Smuggling
Smugglers are known for moving rare animals like albino alligators as they can be sold with a high price, according to Anbarasi Boopal, the deputy chief executive of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, as cited by The Strait Times.
Boopal adds that based on the Munich Airport's white albino alligator report, the reptile can be sold from $20,000 to $2 million in the illegal wildlife market. She also emphasized there is this reality in the world of illegal wildlife trade; the rarer the animal, the higher the returns for traffickers.
Although the incident occurred last month, the Munich customs office only revealed the apparent albino alligator smuggling on October 14. The customs office confirmed the alligator is now healthy and still being cared for, according to the Munich-based newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
Aside from reasons related to wildlife trafficking, carrying crocodilians like alligators and crocodiles on a plane poses security risk.
In 2010, a small plane crashed in Africa after passengers panicked when a smuggled crocodile escaped on board the plane. All passengers were killed except for one person who testified the crocodile escaped from a carry-on bag, causing a stampede amongst the passengers which made the plane lose its balance.
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