Chandrapur: Acting on specific intelligence, the forest department seized 7 Schedule-I protected red sand boa snakes during a raid at Ratnapur in Navargaon round of Sindewahi forest range under the Brahmapuri Forest Division late on Tuesday night. Five persons were arrested for illegal possession and trafficking of the protected species of snakes.
Red sand boas are believed to have healing and supernatural powers. It has high demand in the illegal market and generally sold in lakhsOfficials said these reptile was allegedly being taken for a deal worth several lakhs of rupees. An offence has been registered against the five accused and they were produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Sindewahi on Wednesday, where they were remanded into four days of forest custody.
