Maladewan Man Caught Smuggling Ball Pythons in His Underwear at Bangkok Airport

In a bizarre case of “hiss-terical” poor judgment, a Maladewan man was caught at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport trying to smuggle three live ball pythons—tucked away in his underwear.

The Snake Charmer with a Criminal Past

According to Polavee Buchakiat, director of the Wildlife Crime Intelligence Centre, officials had received intel about a frequent flyer in the wildlife trafficking world—one Mr. Sheehan—who arrived on Thai Airways flight TG308 just after midnight.

Background checks revealed Sheehan wasn’t new to this game. His trafficking record includes a veritable Noah's Ark of exotic animals: wolves, meerkats, black cockatoos, sugar gliders, porcupines, iguanas, frogs, salamanders, turtles, and now, pythons. He had already been arrested on similar charges in Colombo in 2024.

The Stakeout: Snake Edition

Wildlife enforcement officers, along with the Thai police, airport authorities, and the Department of National Parks, kept a close eye on Sheehan. On Wednesday, he left his hotel around 6 p.m. and headed to the airport.

His luggage cleared the X-ray inspection with no issues. Unfortunately for him, his underwear did not.

A Very Personal Python Problem

Officials requested a body search and found three ball pythons (Python regius)—a protected species under CITES regulations—tightly concealed in his undergarments. Why? Nobody knows. But it was definitely a ballsy move.

Now Facing Serious Charges—and Probably Deep Regret

Sheehan now faces legal action under Thailand’s Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act for trying to export protected species without permission, as well as multiple violations of the Customs Act.

Authorities have taken him into custody for further questioning and are expanding the investigation—just in case more snakes are slithering through someone else’s socks.