SAN ANTONIO — Twenty-four royal pythons, 11 spotted salamanders, four tarantulas, three bearded dragons—that's just some of the dozens and dozens of reptiles that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says were hidden in a truck before being seized by officers last week.

163 reptiles, spiders and centipede species in all, to be exact.

According to a press release from CBP, officers working enforcement at Anzalduas International Bridge in Hidalgo County, Texas, "encountered a silver Toyota truck attempting to depart the U.S. to Mexico" on Oct. 22 when they decided to further inspect it. That's when they found the small zoo's worth of animals.

According to the U.S. agency, efforts to smuggle exotic pets are on the rise in the region.

"We work closely with our partners of U.S. Fish and

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