Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ontario International Airport may have prevented a dangerous situation after discovering two live snakes inside a checked bag.
TSA Officer Benjamin Andrade-Carillo was screening a checked bag when he noticed a pillowcase inside and began examining it. He soon realized he was touching something “alive” and immediately alerted his supervisors, according to the TSA.
Airport police and the passenger’s airline were also notified after TSA officers noticed the bag moving. Officials later determined that one of the snakes was a rattlesnake.
TSA screening was temporarily paused as airport police escorted the bag to the passenger, who removed the snakes and handed them over to a family member who was not traveling.
The passenger told officials the animals were his “pets” and that he had previously traveled with them on another airline.
“In my two years of service, I had not found anything like this,” Andrade-Carillo said. “In San Diego, I experienced a gentleman trying to bring live lobsters as a carry-on.”
The passenger was allowed to continue his trip without the snakes.
The TSA said the incident did not disrupt overall screening operations, and no one was injured.