How Two Men Used Exemption Given To E-Commerce Platforms To Sell Endangered Snake Amid Lockdown
Since the nationwide lockdown came into effect on March 25 there is an unprecedented clampdown even on everyday activities including travelling.One category that has been exempted from the lockdown is the delivery of essential services by e-commerce companies.?
But two men in Bengaluru tried to misuse this exemption to engage in illegal wildlife trade.The Bengaluru police have arrested two men attempting to sell two Sand Boa snakes for Rs 50 lakh.?
According to the police, the two?men, Mohammad Rizwan and Azar Khan used the delivery bag Dunzo where Rizwan used to work as a delivery boy to smuggle the reptile.It was Azar who came up with the idea of smuggling the snake in the delivery box to evade the lockdown restrictions.?
"Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested two accused who used the cover of Dunzo delivery boys and procured and tried to sell two-headed snake (Sand Boa)," tweeted CCB Joint Commissioner of Police Sandeep Patil.?
"They were trying to sell the reptiles at Rs 50 lakh. The snakes are used for medicinal values and believed that they will bring good fortune," CCB Deputy Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Jain said.
Sand Boa, covered under schedule 4 of the Wildlife Protection Act 1972, making the trade of it illegal. However, it is a prized commodity in the illegal wildlife trade market where it used for medicinal purposes and it is believed to bring good fortune.?
They are often trafficked to Southeast Asia for prices ranging from a few lakhs to crores per snake in the international market.?
Sand boa, barn owl and pangolin are among some of the most trafficked wildlife species in India and the ever increasing demand from them have driven them to the brink of extinction.
