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Two of the titi monkeys died during the trip

Mexican authorities have arrested a man who was trying to smuggle 18 small monkeys into the country by carrying them in his clothing.

Roberto Sol Cabrera, a Mexican citizen, was stopped at a random check at Mexico City's international airport after arriving from Lima.

In a statement, police said Mr Cabrera Zavaleta had been behaving "nervously".

Once he was searched, it was discovered that he had hidden 18 titi monkeys in a girdle around his waist.

After his arrest, Mr Sol Cabrera confessed that the animals had travelled in his luggage, and that he had put them under his clothing "to protect them from X-rays" as he was going through customs.

The animals had been put into socks, police explained, and two of them were dead at the time of confiscation.

Many species of titi monkeys, a species from South America, are in an endangered animal list by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites).

The Mexican government recently restricted imports of primates and since Mr Sol Cabrera did not have any permits, he will remain in custody while more investigations take place.