The List: People Who Were Caught Smuggling Animals in Their Pants

What the what. A man identified as Jesse Agus Martinez, 35, was recently indicted for allegedly trying to smuggle two sedated, protected orange-fronted parakeets into the United States concealed in his underwear. He faces up to 20 years in jail and a possible $250,000 fine. He's not the only person who has been caught smuggling animals in their pants.

Border officials noticed an odd bulge in Martinez’s groin area. Martinez insisted the bulge was his “pirrín,” a Spanish slang term for male genitalia. A closer search revealed two brown sacks tucked into his underwear. Inside each sack, a juvenile orange-fronted parakeet. Authorities say the birds were alive, breathing, but heavily sedated.

Wildlife smugglers have used every imaginable method to slip animals past authorities. Few strategies are as bizarre... or as risky... as hiding live creatures in their pants. Across airports and border crossings worldwide, officers have uncovered an unbelievable range of animals stuffed into waistbands, tights, underwear, and makeshift pouches.

SNAKES represent some of the most infamous cases. At the border between Hong Kong and mainland China, multiple travelers have been caught with bags of live snakes. The snake are usually concealed inside their trousers (although that is not the origin of the phrase "trouser snake"). In one incident, a smuggler attempted to move more than 100 snakes in his pants, many of them highly active species prone to biting or escaping.

TURTLES are another example of people who were caught smuggling animals in their pants. At Newark Airport, a man tried to smuggle a red-eared slider turtle by wrapping it in a towel. The wrapped turtle was then stuffed into the front of his pants. The shape caught the attention of security, and the turtle was quickly discovered.

BIRDS are among the most commonly smuggled animals. We have the recent incident involving Martinez and two sedated, endangered orange-fronted parakeets. Another story involves the traveler at Melbourne Airport who had two pigeons hidden by taping one around each leg. According to Audubon, still another bird-brain there was another at LAX. Officers intercepted a man with 14 Asian songbirds taped to his legs beneath his trousers... many were still chirping.

OTTERS AND PRAIRIE DOGS have also been attempted pants-based transports. In Thailand, a tourist was caught with two otters and a prairie dog stuffed into his underwear. Here's the briefing on the debriefing:

Another case recorded by Audubon includes 44 geckos and skinks stashed in underwear pouches, 1,000 live spiders in luggage, and, unbelievably, titi monkeys strapped inside a girdle. The female smuggler wore the monkey inside the girdle and disguised the whole thing to look like a pregnancy.

The smuggling stories are humorous, but they are also dangerous for the animals involved.