Belarusian Man Tried to Bring Dozens of Lizards Into Poland Without Documents

Reform.news Editorial Team · 28 October 2026, 13:05

https://reform.news/en/belarusian-man-tried-to-bring-dozens-of-lizards-into-poland-without-documents/

Polish customs officers found an unusual cargo in a truck driven by a Belarusian man: 41 live lizards, the Polish National Revenue Administration reported.

The man was entering Poland through the Koroszczyn border crossing. During an inspection of the vehicle, officers found plastic containers holding 41 lizards in the cab and the semi-trailer’s refrigeration unit. Some of the lizards belong to species protected under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

The lizards’ market value is estimated at around 100,000 zlotys ($25,000). The 41-year-old Belarusian said he had bought them online in Russia and intended to sell them to an unidentified man in Poland for €3,000.

The lizards were seized. The Belarusian faces penalties for bringing CITES-listed animals into the European Union without the required documents. The penalties include a fine or imprisonment for between three months and five years.