Dozens of cobras and Song Soeur snakes – weighing roughly 56 kilograms in all – were released into the forest on Monday after being found in a box on a bus traveling from Pur­sat province’s Krakor district to Phnom Penh, police said.

Ac­­cor­­­ding to Krakor district Police Chief Maol Soth, the snakes were discovered by bus staff, who reported them to police.

The snake smuggler’s identity is unknown, he added.

“Police are searching for the owner to pun­ish him on charges of wildlife trafficking,” Soth said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kim Yuthana at [email protected]