Police discovered more than 600 snakes and other kinds of reptiles in a box kept on the luggage compartment of a bus in Argentina. The box was owned by a passenger who was an alleged smuggler.

The police acted upon some advise forwarded to them. They immediately stopped the bus, which was traveling from a northern province towards Buenos Aires. They boarded the bus and asked the check the passengers’ documents. Then, they poked into their bags to check its contents.

According to ranger Daniel Cherisch from Santa Fe province a passenger rode the bus with about 40 snakes, plus the other reptiles he had in the box.

Cherisch told the Daily Clarin that the police were afraid to open the bags. Cherisch, who also joined the operation, was involved in an investigation of a wildlife trafficking network. He said the smuggler spent three months of catching various species of reptiles for the purpose of selling them.

The police found 444 vipers, boas and other kinds of snakes, as well as 40 lizards and armadillo. The trafficker was arrested because of illegal transportation of endangered species.

The police said they will keep on guard on several bus terminals and will watch out for other forms of transporting endangered wild life. Other passengers of the bus were surprised upon the discovery of the snakes and other reptiles, whose numbers are already depreciating in Argentina.