Snakes in a hotel bring arrests

COLOGNE, Germany, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- German police say they arrested three Chinese nationals after finding about 100 snakes, 70 tortoises and 20 frogs in their Cologne hotel room.

Cologne police spokesman Stefan Kirchner said the Chinese were booked on suspicion of illegally importing the animals.

The Friday incident occurred after a hotel employee discovered a snake on a stairway and then called authorities, CNN reported Saturday.

"After paying several thousand euro for deposit, they were released on Friday evening," added Kirchner.

There has been a ban on imported wild tortoises since 1984.

The animals have been placed with Cologne city zoo.

There was no word on a court date for the suspects.