The snakes were seized by authorities in Hanoi, Vietnam

Apr 23, 2013 05:45 GMT  ·  By

Presently, it is illegal to either hunt or trade king cobras in Vietnam. Because of this, it need not surprise anyone that when 53 such snakes were found hidden in a car passing through Hanoi, the reptiles were confiscated and the man driving the car was taken into police custody.

The snakes were all carefully tucked away in sacks, which is why authorities have little doubts that they were about to be illegally traded, The Inquisitr says.

Apparently, the car's driver agreed to smuggle the snakes in exchange for $50. Seeing how he is now facing criminal charges, the money he got hardly seems worth the trouble.

Following their being seized by police officers, the snakes were taken to a rescue organization whose staff made sure that they were in good health and that they could be safely returned to the wild.

Just for the record, the illegal trade in king cobras has been on the rise both because people in Asia consider their meat to be a delicacy, and because some people believe that certain body parts taken from these snakes have a medicinal value.