SAN DIEGO -- Snakes like the quick and deadly king cobra could soon be on a plane or in a mailbox near you.

Many snakes are being shipped across the country -- not to a zoo or a laboratory, but to snake enthusiasts.

Possession of any dangerous reptile that is large or venomous in San Diego is illegal. However, that does not mean snakes and other dangerous reptiles are not being shipped in.

Dan De Souza from San Diego County Animal Control said, "Does it happen? Yeah. Do we know how often? No, it is very much an underground situation."

The problem went public last fall when 28 illegal reptiles were found in a garage in El Cajon. Prosecutors believed the reptiles were purchased over the Internet.

10News found dozens of Web sites where dangerous, venomous snakes could be purchased. Many of the Web sites know the laws and will not ship to states like California, where it is illegal, but at least a handful of sites were found that will send what customers want, where they want, as long as they can pay.

"We can't go after them if they live in a different state or country. We need to go after the people that live in our jurisdiction," said De Souza.

De Souza often gets the call when a questionable package is found.

"Fed Ex calls us, USPS calls us…," said De Souza.

Federal law dictates how the snakes are shipped. They need to be double-bagged, placed in a clearly labeled box and sealed shut.

Any reputable dealer will follow this procedure to ensure there are no "Snakes On A Plane"-type mishaps, but the ones that aren't doing this legally are shipping them any way they can.

"It's much more dangerous this way because everyone has to keep things hidden," said Robert Applegate, who runs a reptile farm in Campo.

Applegate said he owns some of the only legal venomous reptiles in the county. He owned deadly Gila monsters and Mexican beaded lizards -- before they were outlawed -- and he pays a hefty fee to the county in order to keep them.

Applegate said the strict laws in San Diego are doing more harm than good.

"They have caused more problems by trying to prohibit it because the people that want it could still get it and there aren't any regulations, so it's more dangerous," said Applegate.

He also said in states where it is legal, there is more control.

However, De Souza disagreed.

"The laws are there to protect the public. We are not going to take the chance if they are underground. Are they going to be even more careful? Yes, because they do not want to be found out," De Souza said.

He does admit the problem in San Diego is quickly slithering out of control.

"They don't have enough fish and game wardens to deal with this problem," said De Souza.

10News learned from talking to snake dealers around San Diego County that Delta Airlines is the main carrier of venomous reptiles. However, there is such a patchwork of laws employees cannot be expected to call authorities when they see a specifically labeled box. For many, it's too difficult to know every law in every city they visit.

Experts said many of the federal, state and county laws often contradict one another. That often leaves the public confused, in a place where rattlesnakes are so common that many don't know they are illegal.

Applegate said he knows of people who have discovered they were breaking the law and just let the snakes go.

"He basically left it in a box anonymously on the door of the San Diego Zoo," Applegate said of one snake owner.

What's worse then an angry snake on a plane? A venomous snake at your front door.

If you come across a snake, animal control officials said to leave it alone, notify them and they will take care of the matter.

Even with native snakes like rattlesnakes, it is illegal to transport them even if you are just moving them off your property.

As for snakebites, the antivenin is readily available at most major hospitals in the San Diego County area.

On Wednesday, 10News at 6 a.m. will have more on this story, including how some of the venomous reptiles are being used to save human lives and who is in favor of loosening the constricting laws.