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Reptile Smuggling Bust Exposed | Venice Beach News
Border agents uncovered a shocking reptile smuggling ring when they stopped a woman with an active wildlife trafficking warrant—her car concealed 60 abronia lizards, venomous pit vipers, caimans, a baby crocodile, and an indigo snake, many endangered and protected. Three caimans died before care, but the rest are now safe at the San Diego Zoo. The suspects, Georgina Bribiesca Chavez and Salvador Pelayo, allegedly ran the operation since 2023, making tens of thousands in illegal sales—and both have pleaded not guilty. The bust followed undercover work by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents…
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