In Halstenbek, a community near Hamburg, hours-long searches for a potentially venomous cobra concluded after it was revealed that the photo in question had been generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
According to police, the significant commotion stemmed from a report by an eyewitness, who, as reported by multiple media outlets, is an employee of a local garden nursery. He allegedly presented police with a blurry photo of the suspected snake. Emergency services initially believed the animal was a venomous cobra.
Large-scale searches and warnings
The alleged location on «Am Redder» street was immediately cordoned off. Subsequently, several drone units from various fire services joined the search, involving a total of about 30 personnel. The search area was systematically scanned from the air, while authorities issued a warning to residents in the Halstenbek area.
As reported by NDR, a Hamburg snake expert confirmed to the police that the photo depicted a cobra. Police questioned registered snake owners in the region, but this yielded no results. Meanwhile, law enforcement independently verified the authenticity of the image and interrogated the person who reported the snake about the circumstances of the alleged sighting.
During the verification process, it was discovered that the alleged evidentiary photo was an AI-generated fake, as confirmed by the police. According to NDR, a teenager may have attempted to prank his father with this blurry image. The search efforts were called off around 13:30, and the warning to the public was lifted. Reports indicate that the prosecutor’s office is currently considering whether the fake image will have legal consequences.
Source: Der Spiegel
