Overview
- Customs officers at Haneda found about 200 live lizards squeezed into 22 pairs of socks inside a suitcase after the passenger arrived from South Korea on Saturday, August 8.
- Tokyo police arrested 23‑year‑old Daniel Isaac Velasco Baltazar on August 12 and say he admitted trying to import the animals without the required permission under Japan’s customs rules.
- Authorities say nine of the reptiles are Mexican alligator lizards, a species whose commercial cross‑border trade is regulated under CITES, and one of the seized lizards was dead when found.
- The suspect told investigators he bought the animals in Mexico for roughly ¥560–¥750 each, a far lower price than reported Japanese market values, which suggests a profit motive and possible resale at reptile sales events.
- Police and customs are continuing species verification and supply‑chain checks while the case highlights biosecurity risks from cramped transport and could prompt tighter airport screening for exotic pets.