Python found ‘artfully concealed’ in hard drive at Miami airport

MIAMI — A passenger traveling to Barbados from Miami International Airport tried to sneak a snake onto the flight by concealing it inside a hard drive, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

“The snake, that didn’t get on a plane … had been artfully concealed inside the electronics of a hard drive and placed in a checked bag headed for a flight to Barbados,” Sari Koshetz, a spokeswoman with the TSA, told the Miami Herald.

TSA workers found the young ball python during a security screening when they detected an “organic item” inside the device. TSA bomb experts called in to inspect the hard drive found the reptile.

“This python had not gone full monty,” the TSA joked in an Instagram post. “It was wearing a nylon stocking.”

U.S. Fish and Wildlife officers took the snake and issued the traveler a citation.

Agent Neville Flynn would be extremely proud of our officers at the Miami International Airport (MIA). You see, Agent Flynn has HAD IT with snakes on planes, and our officers prevented a young Ball Python from flying the friendly skies this past Sunday. … A traveler on her way to the Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) in Barbados attempted to smuggle the snakelet inside of an external hard drive packed in her checked bag. If you think airplane seats can feel constricting, imagine how this little guy felt! Talk about bad memories! … While the python itself posed no danger to anyone on the aircraft, an organic item concealed inside electronics raises security concerns, which is why our officers took a closer look. … The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service ( @USFWS ) was notified. They responded and took possession of the snake and cited the traveler. Both the traveler and the snake missed their flight. … Conversationally, this python had not gone full monty. It was wearing a nylon stocking. … #SnakesOnPlane #SnakesAlmostOnAPlane #MIA #BGI #Miami #Barbados

A post shared by TSA (@tsa) on Jul 9, 2018 at 3:25pm PDT