Mumbai Police Arrest Four in Red Sand Boa Smuggling Sting Operation, One Suspect Still at Large

Mumbai, 12th October 2024: A team from the Mumbai Police has arrested four individuals involved in the illegal trade of a Red Sand Boa, a rare snake often sought for its supposed use in black magic and traditional medicine. The arrests were made after one of the officers, posing as a businessman, approached the smugglers under the guise of buying the snake.

The sting operation, led by Assistant Inspector Amit Devkar from Cuffe Parade police station, was initiated after the police received a tip-off about the sale. Head Constable Prashant Sawant, adopting the alias “Rupesh Jain” and pretending to be a Gujarati businessman, contacted the smugglers to negotiate the deal. Sawant, who learned the necessary language within three days, met with the accused twice to build credibility as a buyer.

When the smugglers arrived with the snake, valued at Rs 30 lakh, the police swiftly arrested the four involved. Authorities are still searching for another suspect, Michael, who acted as a middleman, connecting sellers from Telangana with buyers in Mumbai.

The arrested individuals, identified as Narsimha Dhoti, Shiva Mallesh Adhap, Ravi Bhoir, and Arvind Gupta, have been placed in judicial custody. The police confiscated the vehicle, an Ertiga, in which the snake was transported. The Red Sand Boa was found in poor condition, having been injected with substances to artificially increase its weight, which the smugglers used to demand a higher price.

Assistant Inspector Devkar revealed that the snake originally weighed 4.3 kg, but the smugglers inflated its weight to five kilos and asked for Rs 5 crore in exchange. The snake has since been handed over to the Thane Forest Department for care and rehabilitation.

All suspects face charges under the Wildlife Protection Act, and the investigation is ongoing.