Crackdown on Illegal Wildlife Trade: Five Arrested with Rare Sand Boa in Kerala

Forest officials arrested five individuals in Kannur, Kerala for illegal possession of a protected two-toed sand boa. The arrest followed a tip-off, leading to a seizure of a car and scooter. The operation highlights ongoing efforts against wildlife trafficking, reflective of a prior turtle smuggling case investigated by the CBI.

In a stern crackdown on illegal wildlife trade, forest officials on Thursday apprehended five individuals for possessing a two-toed sand boa (Eryx johnii), a species safeguarded under the Wildlife Protection Act. The arrests took place in Payyannur, located in Kerala's Kannur district. A statement from the Forest Department identified the accused as Pradeepan TP (49), Bhikesh (39), Manoj M (30) from Trikaripur, Kannur, and T Naveen (35) and K Chandrasekharan (37) from Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. Their arrest followed a tip-off that instigated the operation.

The team, led by Taliparamba Forest Range Officer Sanoop Krishnan, seized a car and a scooter believed to be used in transporting the non-venomous snakes. Preliminary reports suggest the reptiles were brought from Andhra Pradesh's Chittoor district for sale in Kannur. Post-seizure, forest authorities have registered a case, and further investigations are underway to dismantle possible networks involved in similar wildlife crimes.

Such incidents are not isolated, highlighted by a previous operation conducted in March by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). This earlier operation intercepted two individuals in possession of 65 turtles, including Indian-roofed and spotted pond turtles, which fall under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act. The CBI, coordinating with the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, confiscated the animals and transferred them to the Delhi Zoo for their safety and care. The arrests underscored the persistent challenges authorities face in curbing wildlife trafficking in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)