Eight held with snake venom in Goa

Panaji, July 31 (IANS) Eight people have been arrested in Goa for illegally possessing snake venom worth Rs.1.5 crore, police said Tuesday.

Police said the eight, who were arrested on a tip-off, were carrying nearly one litre of snake venom, which was extracted illegally, in contravention of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.

"Eight people have been arrested. Nearly all of them were unemployed and used to run this snake venom trade racket regularly by trapping snakes in the forests and extracting the venom," a police spokesperson said.

The arrested persons were being interrogated to ascertain the source of the venom and where it was being marketed, the spokesperson added.

The accused have been booked under various sections of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.