A man has received a suspended prison sentence for smuggling live chameleons and venomous snakes into the UK.
In 2020, a shipment of over 100 pygmy chameleons from Cameroon was discovered concealed inside a box of snakes at Heathrow Airport. Subsequently, Humberside Police executed a search warrant at the Hull residence of Mark Brittain, revealing additional evidence.
Mark Brittain pleaded guilty to two counts of importing articles subject to restrictions without declaring them. The 48-year-old from Hull, Steynburg Street, received a four-month suspended prison sentence at Hull Crown Court and was also ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid community work.
![Man Sentenced for Smuggling Snakes and Chameleons](https://newscentral.africa/wp-content/uploads/Man-Sentenced-for-Smuggling-Snakes-and-Chameleons.webp)
PC Rich Fussey from the Rural Task Force acknowledged the collaboration with UK and African authorities, describing the investigation as lengthy and complex.