Smuggler fined $400 for carrying snakes
By REUTERS
MIAMI: A Brazilian man who was caught at Miami airport trying to smuggle seven baby pythons and three baby tortoises concealed in his underwear and pockets was fined $400 by a US judge.
Simon Turola Borges, 30, who had been detained since Aug. 25, pled guilty to smuggling and was sentenced by US District Judge Patricia A. Seitz to time served, two years of supervised release, and a $400 fine. He was ordered to be deported. Prosecutors said Borges initially denied having anything hidden in his pants when security officers at the airport pulled him aside for a further search after he went through a body scanner while preparing to board a flight to Brazil last month.
“Subsequently, he was asked to empty his cargo pants pockets, and he removed two hatchling pythons tightly wrapped in nylon pantyhose,” prosecutors said in a statement. When he was asked to remove any foreign objects from his groin area “Borges pulled his underwear away from his body and removed two nylon pantyhose containing numerous snakes and tortoises,” the attorney said.
By REUTERS
MIAMI: A Brazilian man who was caught at Miami airport trying to smuggle seven baby pythons and three baby tortoises concealed in his underwear and pockets was fined $400 by a US judge.
Simon Turola Borges, 30, who had been detained since Aug. 25, pled guilty to smuggling and was sentenced by US District Judge Patricia A. Seitz to time served, two years of supervised release, and a $400 fine. He was ordered to be deported. Prosecutors said Borges initially denied having anything hidden in his pants when security officers at the airport pulled him aside for a further search after he went through a body scanner while preparing to board a flight to Brazil last month.
“Subsequently, he was asked to empty his cargo pants pockets, and he removed two hatchling pythons tightly wrapped in nylon pantyhose,” prosecutors said in a statement. When he was asked to remove any foreign objects from his groin area “Borges pulled his underwear away from his body and removed two nylon pantyhose containing numerous snakes and tortoises,” the attorney said.
