The Palghar Crime Branch on Wednesday arrested two people who were allegedly smuggling two snakes of the red sand boa species, which is a rare and protected species in India.
The accused have been identified as Sunil Dhanawa (46) and Pawan Bhoya (39). Officers said the duo were intercepted at Manor in Palghar based on a tip-off.
“Both the accused were carrying a bag each and both bags were found to have contained a red sand boa snake. While Mr. Dhanawa was carrying a 56-inch-long snake weighing four kg, Mr. Bhoya was carrying a snake, which was 41 inches long and one kg in weight. When the duo could not provide a satisfactory explanation for possessing the snakes, they were arrested and charged under the Wildlife Protection Act,” an officer with the Palghar Crime Branch said.
The officer said the duo are now being interrogated to trace the source of the species. The snakes, meanwhile, have been handed over to the Forest department. “Typically, the snakes are obtained from Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and sold to interested parties in other States. The supply chain for such rackets contains several links between the source and the end user, and the arrested accused might just be one such link,” the officer said.
The non-venomous species is in high demand in the black market as, according to superstition, it leads its owner to hidden treasure and causes a shower of rain if used in certain black magic rituals. It is also sold on the black market in Malaysia and China for use in traditional medicine, where it sells for as high as ₹4 crore in Indian currency. The high demand for the snakes gave rise to poaching rackets, due to which the hunting and sale of the species is banned as per law.
