Four held by Cuff Parade police for attempting to sell Red Sand Boa snake in south Mumbai

The Red Sand Boa snake is often trafficked for use in traditional medicines and even for black magic, a police official said

In a major crackdown on wildlife trafficking, the Cuffe Parade Police arrested four individuals for illegally attempting to sell a Red Sand Boa snake near Maker Tower south Mumbai, an official said on Tuesday.

The Red Sand Boa is often trafficked for use in traditional medicines and even for black magic, the police official said.

According to the police, the investigations into the matter were initially based on a confidential tip-off received by the officials of Cuff Parade Police. Senior Inspector Sandip Vishwasrao of Cuffe Parade Police Station deployed a team led by Inspector Devkar and Sub-Inspector Bhagwat to conduct an operation that led to the arrest of the suspects and rescue of the trafficked snake.

The police officials were informed that a group of individuals would be arriving in a Maruti Ertiga car for an illegal sale of a Red Sand Boa snake. Accordingly, a trap was laid by the police in the vicinity of Maker Tower leading to the apprehension of the suspects.

The police said at the designated time, four suspects arrived in the vehicle. Their suspicious behavior and movements led the police to search the car. Upon inspection, officers found a large bag in the rear of the vehicle containing a live Red Sand Boa snake. The snake, weighing approximately 5 kilograms and measuring 55 inches in length, was immediately seized.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Narasimha Satyama Dhoti (40) and Shiva Mallesh Adap (18), both from Telangana; Ravi Vasant Bhoir (54) from Mulund area in Mumbai and Arvind Chaturam Gupta (26) from Mumbra area in Thane district of Maharashtra, the police said.

"A case has been filed under the Wildlife Protection Act, and the suspects are now in police custody," said an official.

The snake has been handed over to a Forest Range Officer in Thane for safekeeping.

Wildlife experts have pointed out that the Red Sand Boa, though non-venomous, is often targeted by smugglers due to myths surrounding its medicinal properties and use in occult practices. The police emphasized the seriousness of the offense and said that further investigations in the matter were going on.

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