Man tries to smuggle 200 live scorpions from Sri Lanka

The live animals were discovered by security officials at Colombo airport, packed in plastic boxes.

Authorities suggest the man may have been planning to extract the venom from the scorpions once in China.

Fighting the trafficking of exotic wildlife and the smuggling of gold and illegal drugs has become a major challenge for Sri Lanka.

The man who was apprehended by customs officials on Monday was fined 100,000 rupees ($550, £423) and allowed to return home.

Sri Lanka has about 18 species of venomous scorpions yet only one is fatal to humans. It was not clear whether the smuggled scorpions were deadly.