Chaoyi Le, 28, is facing up to five years in a US prison after he admitted trying to smuggle three western hog-nosed snakes into Canada by concealing them in his socks.

He initially claimed he found the snakes in a New York park, but later admitted that he purchased them for around $500.

He also mailed snakes to China from the US on the same day.

Mr Le is due to be sentenced at the end of the month.