Man Held in Mexico Had 18 Rare Monkeys Tied Around His Waist

Man Arrested at Mexico Airport for Smuggling Wildlife

(July 20) -- There's was a reason he looked nervous when he arrived at the airport in Mexico City. Tucked under his sweater, police say, were 18 little monkeys the man was trying to smuggle, each one hidden in a sock attached to a girdle. And not just any monkey. Many species of the titi monkeys being carried by Roberto Sol Cabrera are on the international endangered list. Even those not on the list, as well as a whole range of other animals, fetch a high price in the illegal wildlife trade between Mexico and the U.S. and other parts of the world, AOL News was told today.

Two of the 6-inch titis were dead when the 16 others were confiscated, according to Mexican police, and Cabrera confessed he had brought the monkeys from Peru and claimed he had put them around his waist to protect them from X-rays at the customs desk, the Telegraph reported.

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Another rare animal smuggling story.

These stories disturb me. They disturb me due to the fact that someone buys something (say an Anaconda) and releases it into the general population after it gets older or it escapes and becomes a menace.

People need to leave these animals/reptiles etc in their own habitat.

[edit on 21-7-2010 by -Blackout-]