Though we often associate customs checks with hauls of cigarettes and families trying to bring too much food from home on holiday, officers in Zurich discovered something truly prehistoric in a recent check. When searching an arrival’s luggage, police discovered the head of an endangered crocodile, along with sexual medication, knives and fake watches.

Swiss man detained with rare crocodile head

In a statement, the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security confirmed that the man, a Swiss citizen, was detained in December 2024 as he was passing through the green lane of Zurich Airport, having just landed from Bangkok. In the search, officers discovered that the man was trying to import the head of a Siamese Crocodile.

The species, native to Southeast Asia, is one of the least studied and rarest crocodiles in the world, having been subject to intense habitat loss and hunting for its skin. It is currently on the IUCN’s red list for critically endangered species.

Fake Swiss watches destroyed during customs haul

As the man had not applied for an import permit, the head was sent on to the Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs. In the same luggage, officers at the airport also found a supply of “erection-enhancing” drugs - these medicines are now in the hands of Swissmedic.

Further adding to his predicament, customs also found five knives of which two were classified as illegal in Switzerland, alongside two fake Swiss watches. The knives have since been confiscated, the watches destroyed, and the man has been handed over to the police of Canton Zurich.