Mumbai: Four arrested for trying to smuggle endangered red sand boa snake

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 9 : Four people were arrested for allegedly trying to illegally sell red sand boa snake, which comes under the list of endangered species, Mumbai Police said.
The arrests were made by Mumbai's Cuffe Parade Police on Tuesday.
The four accused have been identified as Narsingh Dhoti (40), Shiva Adap (18), Ravi Bhoir (54) and Arvind Gupta (26). While, the first two accused are from Telangana, the other two are residents of Mulund, Mumbai and Mumbara, Thane respectively.
The police received inputs that some people will come near Maker Chambers to carry out the sale of snakes, which will allegedly be used for medicinal and black magic.
Upon receiving the information, the police launched an operation. A suspected SUV was stopped from which the police recovered a snake inside a red bag. It weighed around 5 kg and was 55-inches long.
Notably, the red boa sand snakes are endangered species and are listed under schedule-four of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972.
The market price of the snake is Rs 30 lakh and its sale or export is prohibited.
A case has been registered under the relevant sections and the boa has been handed over to the forest department, said police officials.