Snakes on an actual plane

HANOI - Vietnam has seized more than a ton of rat snakes found aboard a Vietnam Airlines flight from Bangkok, the second time in about a month such snakes were found in air cargo to Vietnam, state media said on Friday.

The snakes — scientific name Ptyas Mucosus and a protected species — were found in more than 60 boxes that arrived in Hanoi's Noi Bai airport on Thursday, the Vietnam News Agency quoted officials as saying.

"There is a great possibility that Vietnam is only a transit point of the cargo," it said, adding that the snakes were transferred to an animal caring station nearby.Last month, the airport authorities also seized 1,550 pounds of snakes aboard a Thai Airways flight to Hanoi, it said.