Authorities have destroyed nearly 700kg of dead snakes sent to an unknown address in Vietnam via Thai Airways.

According to the bill of lading, the package was fresh fish sent by an Indonesian man to an unclear address in Vietnam on December 15.

Tien Phong newspaper reported that after several days waiting for the receiver, Noi Bai Airport Goods Service Company opened the package as stipulated by the rules on unknown goods. Inside they found hundreds of kilos of dead, malodorous snakes.

However, Labour Newspaper said this package was sent to Vietnam from Malaysia and the receiver residing at the named address said he was completely unaware.

The package was transferred to the Environment and Hygiene Agency for destruction.

All animals, including snakes, are banned from being transported by air.

Vietnam Airlines, on December 11, cancelled a flight from the central city of Da Nang to Hanoi after discovering a scorpion on the aircraft.

On April 7, a passenger saw a white mouse on a Vietnam Airlines plane. Aviation staffers spent several hours catching the rat.

Vietnam Airlines said that it was unable to find who carried the scorpion and mouse onto the aircrafts.

After the scorpion case, an official of the Vietnam Civil Aviation Administration revealed that Vietnam doesn't have any specialized equipment to detect animals clandestinely smuggled onto an aircraft.