Siliguri: 3 held with snake venom worth about Rs 5 crore

The Kurseong Wildlife Forest Division, Bagdogra Forest Range and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau of Forest department in a joint raid in Muraligach area of Phansidewa arrested three men with snake venom worth Rs 5 crore on Tuesday night.

The accused have been identified as Mohammad Shahnawaz (27), Mohammad Tawhid Alam (39), Mohammad Ajmal (28), residents of Islampur in North Dinajpur.

Sonam Bhutia, the Range Officer of Bagdogra Forest Range said: “The arrested will be taken into custody for questioning. It is being investigated whether anyone else is involved in the incident.”

Foresters seized a four-wheeler and a scooty. A jar filled with snake venom wrapped in Bangladeshi newspaper was recovered during the search of the four-wheeler and the second jar was recovered from the scooty.

One jar contained 1 kg 796 grams and another 2 kg 29 grams of snake venom. The venom was brought from Bangladesh and was intended to be smuggled to China through Nepal.