A Chinese man was caught at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Sri Lanka trying to smuggle 200 venomous scorpions out of the country.
According to BBC News, the scorpions were packed in plastic boxes and authorities believe the man planned to extract the venom once back in China. He was fined 100,000 rupees (R7,985) and was allowed to return home.
Sri Lanka is home is approximately 18 species of venomous scorpions, with only one species being fatal to humans. The species of scorpion in this incident has not yet been confirmed.
Sri Lanka has been faced with many challenges as of late, including illegal drugs and gold smuggling as well as exotic wildlife trafficking. While strict laws are in place to combat these challenges, wildlife smuggling attempts are on the rise, according to BBC News.
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