It came as a surprise to Australian custom officials when they found more than a dozen snakes and lizards stuffed inside garden gnomes and similar pottery during a recent international mail check.

Since it is illegal to bring live reptiles into Australia without a license, some people use this method to ship reptiles. One of the customs officials found two snakes and three lizards inside ceramic garden statues during a routine postal inspection in Sydney on June 10.

According to AP reports, another officer at the same facility found another package filled with five snakes and five lizards stuffed inside pottery figures and other ornaments the very next day.

Both packages had been sent from Britain and had been declared as gifts. Though no one was arrested over the incident, an investigation is still currently in progress.