Murshidabad: Man arrested for ‘smuggling’ rare snake worth Rs 9 crore

The international market price of one takshak snake around 11-20 inch long can be as high as Rs 10 crore. (Representational)

A man was arrested for trying to smuggle a rare species of takshak snake in Murshidabad on Friday night, police said. The accused has been identified as Isha Sheikh, a resident of Malda Kaliachak. “The value of this snake in the international market is nearly Rs 9 crore,” said an official.

The rare species of snake was to be smuggled to Bihar and then China, sources said. The reptile, which is listed under Schedule III of the WildLife Protection Act, 1972 as a highly endangered animal, has been handed over to the forest department. The rescued snake is 7 inch long and weighs 275 kg, an official said.

According to experts, the international market price of one takshak snake around 11-20 inch long can be as high as Rs 10 crore. In order to gain better price by showing more weight, smugglers often inject mercury in its stomach, which may eventually kill the reptile.

Apart from being used as pets, it is commonly believed that dried takshak snake is used in China to produce anti-asthma and anti-cancer drugs or as an aphrodisiac agent.