Video released by the Transportation Security Administration captures the moment officers found two live snakes hidden inside a checked bag at California’s Ontario International Airport in October.
The snakes were discovered during a routine examination of the luggage, according to the TSA.
An X-ray scan initially made the contents look like a rope. A closer inspection revealed two live snakes tucked inside a pillowcase.
“As soon as I realized the item in my hand was alive, I knew I had to escalate the situation immediately,” TSA Officer Benjamin Andrade-Carillo said after finding the pillowcase.
Andrade-Carillo alerted a supervisor, who examined the package more closely. Supervisory TSA Officer Suggey Flores said he could feel the pillowcase tighten and begin to move.
“I’ve handled snakes before, so I wasn’t especially frightened,” Flores said. “I was more surprised because it’s not something you encounter every day.”
Following the discovery, TSA officers temporarily halted screening in the immediate area because of potential safety risks.
“We didn’t know what species they were, so safety was the main concern,” Flores said. “They could have been venomous.”
Airport police took custody of the bag and brought it to the airline’s ticketing area. The passenger removed the snakes and handed them to a family member who was not traveling, the TSA said.
Once the snakes were removed, officers screened the bag again and allowed the passenger to continue traveling.
The Los Angeles TSA Coordination Center said the passenger identified the snakes as pets and told officials he had previously flown with them on another airline.
“During my two years on the job, I’d never come across anything like this,” Andrade-Carillo said. “In San Diego, I did encounter a man attempting to bring live lobsters onto a plane as carry-on items.”
The TSA advises passengers traveling with pets to contact their airline in advance to confirm its policies and documentation requirements.