Thai Postal Customs Division finds rare snakes in parcels mailed from China's Taiwan

The Thai Postal Customs Service Division in Bangkok on Thursday posted on social media that they have intercepted parcels containing 12 small, colourful snakes of various species mailed from China's Taiwan to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand.

Twelve snakes were hidden inside piggy banks in different parcels, said the Thai Postal Customs Service Division Facebook page.

Meanwhile Thai media reported that the Customs and wildlife officials had inspected the two parcel boxes at a Bangkok post office.

There were four Mexican black kingsnakes, four hognose snakes, three Californian kingsnakes and one python regius, the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said on its Facebook page on Thursday.

The python is native to sub-saharan Africa.

Thai media reported that the snakes had a combined worth of about 71,500 baht (US$2,340) to collectors, and were sent to a woman in Chiang Mai province.

In June, the state-run Thai Post warned against mailing seven prohibited items or will face legal action. Mailing live animal is one of them.