Yamunanagar: A joint team of the Wild Life Department and the police arrested four persons alleged involved in snake smuggling from Chhachhrauli in Yamunanagar district and recovered from them a ‘Red Sand Boa’ snake which is in much demand in India and several other countries, reportedly used in production of drugs especially to enhance sex power and cosmetics. Information reveals that such type of snakes are being sold in international markets at the price ranging up to Rs 1 crore. The teams of Wild Life Department and Chhachroli police recovered a ‘Red Sand Boa’ snake from the possession of the arrested persons.
While talking to media persons Jayvinder Nehra, Inspector of Wild Life Department Kalesar (Chhachhroli) in Yamunanagar district said that the accused smugglers were identified as Ram Singh of Sadhaura in Yamunanagar district, Kuldeep, Mohit and Sagar all trio residents of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh were arrested. He said that after registration of a case under Sections 9, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 49, 50, 51, 52, and 55 of the Wild Life Protection Act 1972, the accused were produced before the Special Environment Court at Kurukshetra, where they were sent to 14 days judicial custody. Nehra said that Ram Singh was the seller of the snake and Kuldeep, Mohit and Sagar were to buy the said snake.
According to Nehra of the Wild Life Department the investigation is being done to reach up to the roots of this gang and shortly a few more arrests are possible in connection with this case. Acting on a tip-off, a team of wildlife officials of the Haryana forest division with local police conducted a raid at the accused’s place and nabbed them with the snake.He said, the red sand boa is a non-venomous species endemic to India, Pakistan, and Iran. It is known for its blunt, rounded tail, which often gives it the appearance of being double-headed. Information reveals, in the past over six years, between January 2016 and December 2021, WCS-India an NGO working on wildlife conservation recorded 172 instances of the illegal sand boa trade across the country. Vishal Kaushik, deputy chief wildlife warden, Panchkula division said that such type of snakes are categorized in Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protected Act 1972 have strict ban over possession and trafficking and such snakes are in high demand in the illegal markets and are sold in the global market at the rate up to Rs 1 crore each on an average
Preliminary investigation reveals that the deal for the sale of this snake was finalized at Rs 20 lakh and the financial deal was to be conducted through Hawala. Police recovered from Nepal, Korea and Qatar currency from three smugglers during the . The secret information in this regard was received by the police from U.P that a snake is being delivered to a smuggler at Chachrouli when police along with the Wild Life Department conducted raid and arrested four when deal was being finalized with Ram Singh a resident of Sadhoura in Yamunanagar district. The snake seized by the policewas having 838 gm weight having 32 inch length
