Duo held with snakes worth Rs 1.5 crore
The snakes were kept in two separate cloth bags and were found in a space behind the residence of the accused, police said.
Mumbai: The Palghar police seized two snakes of endangered Sandboa (Mandul) species worth Rs 1.5crore.
The officials have arrested two persons who were in possession of the snakes and were to sell them for use in medicinal and black magic purposes.
The arrested accused were identified as Sunil Shanavas (46) and Pawan Bhoya (39), both residents of Pochade Village in Palghar.
The officials said that the accused had in possession two Sandboas weighing 4kg and 1kg each.
“In order to keep these snakes in custody, permission of chief wildlife warden is mandatory. They did not have one and upon investigation it was found that the purpose of having the snakes was to sell them in illicit market,” said an officer of Palghar police.
The Sandboa snakes are in high demand due to the superstition that they are used in black magic activities and for medicinal purposes.
The snakes were kept in two separate cloth bags and were found in a space behind the residence of the accused, police said.
The accused revealed to the police that the sale of the snakes were for illegal purposes.
The forest officials have been informed about the capturing of the snakes and the duo has been arrested for further investigation.
The police will record their detailed statement to find the source of the snakes and their supposed buyers.
A case has been registered against them under the relevant sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and they have been remanded to police custody for further investigation in the case.