POLK COUNTY, Fla. \u2013 Troopers made a surprising discovery after pulling over a pickup truck in Central Florida, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.<\/p>\n
In a release on Thursday, troopers said they found the truck towing a utility trailer along SR-540 in Winter Haven, though it had no tag light affixed to the license plate, which was attached to the expanded metal portion of the fold-down gate.<\/p>\n
As a result, troopers stopped the truck, with the driver identifying himself via Georgia ID card as 32-year-old Rendon Casildo-Acdiel.<\/p>\n
However, a check of Casildo-Acdiel soon revealed that he had a suspended Georgia license and no Florida license, troopers added. He also reportedly had warrants from three different agencies.<\/p>\n
Fruit in the trailer (Florida Highway Patrol)<\/p>\n
Per investigators, Casildo-Acdiel told troopers that he was from North Carolina, but he drove down to Miami to get coconuts and was heading to Polk County for fish before returning to his home state.<\/p>\n
This story sparked suspicion, so troopers used a K-9 to check the vehicle, revealing five coolers of iced tilapia and 13 live iguanas in the truck bed, the release shows.<\/p>\n
However, these iguanas were spotted with their feet zip-tied behind their backs, investigators reported.<\/p>\n
Images of the iguanas (Florida Highway Patrol)<\/p>\n
Casildo-Acdiel was ultimately placed under arrest on a charge of driving with a suspended license, though the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is also leading an investigation regarding the wildlife, troopers noted.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the FHP said that the rescued iguanas were turned over to a local rescue shelter.<\/p>\n
No additional information has been released at this time.<\/p>\n
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