Crowd watches from a distance as officers handle the snake

Police have arrested the crew of a Tanzanian bus at the Namanga One Stop Border Post after they allegedly attempted to smuggle a live snake into Kenya.

The bus, which was traveling from Dar es Salaam to Nairobi, was intercepted on Wednesday morning during routine border clearance checks conducted by a multi-agency team comprising customs officials and border control police officers.

During the inspection, officers discovered a wooden box that had been declared as a consignment of motor vehicle spare parts.

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Snake handlers from the Kenya Wildlife Service are handling a live snake that was intercepted at the Namanga border post being transported illegally by a passenger bus from Dar es Salaam to Kenya. /KNA
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The reptile was allegedly concealed inside the box, which the crew initially claimed was a toolbox.

“In the normal course of clearance of the passenger bus that was transiting from Tanzania into Nairobi, members of the joint operations committee intercepted a box that had been consigned from Tanzania to Kenya and was said to contain motor vehicle spares,” a customs official said.

However, a more thorough search revealed a live snake hidden inside the package.

“The owner of the consignment has not been established, but we have the contacts. The bus driver and the conductor have been arrested and are held in custody at the Namanga police station,” a police officer added.

An officer handles the snake

The bus was also impounded and is being held at the same station as investigations continue.

The box which had a live snake, which was being transported illegally from Dar es Salaam to Kenya. /KNA
The early-morning incident attracted a crowd of curious onlookers and travelers who gathered at the border post to witness the unfolding events.

“We have witnessed something we have never seen all our lives. Instead of a bus carrying passengers, it was carrying a snake,” one witness remarked.

The crowd watches from a distance as an officer handles the snake

The incident sparked mixed reactions online, with some users raising concerns about the potential risk the animal could have posed to passengers.

“It’s high time customs starts sensitising transport stakeholders about pet handling and clearing processes. Imagine if the animal had found its way to the passenger compartment,” one user commented.

Others speculated that the snake could have been intended for traditional rituals, while some dismissed the claims, arguing there was no practical value in smuggling such an animal.

“Why would someone try to smuggle a snake? Such a useless creature,” another commenter said.

The seizure comes months after Kenyan police intercepted bhang worth Sh2.5 million being transported by a bus belonging to the same company at the Namanga border, also destined for Nairobi.