Woman Tried Smuggling 24 Gerbils On Ship, Strapped Them To Her Legs

A woman was caught trying to smuggle 24 gerbils under her skirt at a customs checkpoint in a port on Taiwan's outer island of Kinmen on Friday.

Officials stopped the woman, surnamed Wu, after they found her walking awkwardly. Upon further inspection, 24 gerbils were found packed into plastic bags and strapped onto her legs. She had covered them under her skirt.

When questioned about why she was carrying the rodents, she said she was bringing them back from China for her friends. She, however, did not reveal their names, the Taiwan news reported.

She then confessed that she was hired to smuggle the animals. She purchased them at a Chinese pet store for NT$500 (US$16) for each male and NT$1,000 ($32) for each female Gerbil.

She was charged with offences violating the Animal Infectious Diseases Prevention and Control Regulations Law and handed over to the District Prosecutor’s Office.

The rodents were checked for disease before euthanizing and disposing them off in accordance with regulations.

Officials are investigating the incident to find out if there is a larger smuggling ring involved.

In a similar incident earlier this month, a man was caught smuggling four kittens by hiding them in his pants at a checkpoint in Tuas, Singapore.

“On 2 Jan, ICA officers detected four live kittens concealed in the pants of a 45-year-old male in a Singapore-registered car at Tuas Checkpoint. Officers were prompted to conduct further checks when they heard ‘meowing’ sounds coming from a bulge in his pants. The case was referred to Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore [AVA] for investigation,” Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said in a Facebook post.

In another similar incident last month, a man was caught trying to smuggle a live snake on to a plane at Berlin-Schönefeld Airport. Officials caught the man after they noticed a large bulge in his pants. They then found a snake wrapped inside a cloth. The reptile was confiscated after he was unable to provide supporting documents.