A bizarre haul of animals including 20 puppies, 990 lizards, 1,000 spiders and 200 scorpions was found in a truck during an anti-smuggling check near the border with Thailand, local media reported today.

Some animals in the menagerie, which also included birds, snakes and chameleons, were believed destined for export to regional cooking pots, the commander of the anti-smuggling unit, Khamis Hamzah, told the New Straits Times.

A wildlife department spokesman said it was possible the animals would be sold as pets, the Star newspaper reported.

The 43-year-old truck driver was arrested, the reports said.

Returned to the wild

The puppies were in wire-mesh cages, the scorpions, spiders and 100 centipedes were in gunny sacks and the snakes and lizards in plastic bags, all hidden under a pile of old boxes.

There was no immediate word on what would be done with the animals, although the wildlife department spokesman said that with the exception of the dogs they could be returned to the wild. - AFP