Troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol stopped a pickup truck in Central Florida and discovered zip-tied iguanas.
The truck was pulled over along State Road 540 in Winter Haven because it did not have a working tag light on its license plate. The plate had been attached to the fold-down gate of a utility trailer made of expanded metal.
The driver identified himself as 32-year-old Rendon Casildo-Acdiel using a Georgia ID card. After checking his information, troopers found that he had a suspended Georgia driver’s license, no valid Florida license, and active warrants from three different agencies.
During questioning, Casildo-Acdiel told troopers he was from North Carolina. He claimed he had driven to Miami to pick up coconuts and was on his way to Polk County to get fish before heading back home.
This explanation raised suspicion. Troopers then used a K-9 unit to inspect the vehicle. The search revealed five coolers filled with iced tilapia and 13 live iguanas in the truck bed.
Investigators noted that the animals were zip-tied iguanas, with their feet bound behind their backs. The presence of these zip-tied iguanas led to further concern about possible wildlife violations. Authorities emphasized that the zip-tied iguanas appeared to have been restrained for transport.
Casildo-Acdiel was arrested and charged with driving on a suspended license. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is now leading an additional investigation into the handling of the animals.
The rescued zip-tied iguanas were turned over to a local rescue shelter. No further details have been released.