Customs officers were in for a shock when they searched a woman trying to cross the Russian border — and discovered 116 lizards hidden in her jacket.
The passenger was on a bus that was stopped at the Mamonovo-2 border checkpoint in Russia’s Kaliningrad region, on the border with Poland, on August 25.
Inspectors searching her clothing found dozens of small canvas bags concealed inside the lining of her jacket.
Each pouch contained between three and five live reptiles measuring around 10 to 15cm long.
In total, officials counted 116 lizards.
The woman was unable to produce any documents allowing her to transport the animals.
According to Russian customs officials, she told inspectors she had agreed to take the reptiles to Germany in return for money.
Experts later identified the animals as secret toadhead agamas.
Populations of the unusual desert-dwelling reptile are protected under Russia’s Red Data Book.
The distinctive lizards are found in sandy and desert habitats across parts of Russia and Central Asia.
They are particularly known for their dramatic defensive display when threatened, flattening their bodies and opening their mouths to expose conspicuous folds of skin at the sides.
All 116 reptiles survived the journey as far as the border and were handed over to a local exotic animal rescue centre, according to customs officials.
The woman is now facing administrative proceedings for allegedly concealing goods from customs control.
Under the relevant Russian law, she could be fined up to three times the value of the seized ‘goods’, with confiscation also possible.
Pictures released by customs officials show scores of the small reptiles after they were removed from their unusual hiding place.
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