Mangaluru: Illegal sand boa(snake) trade busted; four, including minor, arrested
Mangalore Today News Network
Mangaluru, July 18, 2025: Forest department officials in Mangaluru have busted an illegal wildlife trade racket involving the sale of sand boas (Indian rock pythons), leading to the arrest of four individuals, including a minor.
The arrested have been identified as Vihal H Shetty (18) from Badaga Ulipady, Mangaluru; Ibrahim Shakeel Ismail (35), a pet shop owner from Ullal Munnur; Mohammad Mustafa (22), an employee at the same pet shop from Ullal Harekal; and a 16-year-old PUC student from a Mangaluru-based college.
The operation was led by Rajesh Baligar, Range Forest Officer, Mangaluru. Forest officials first posed as buyers and approached Vihal, who agreed to sell a sand boa for ₹45,000. The meeting was arranged near Ashwath Katte in Kadri, where Vihal showed them the snake. He was immediately taken into custody.
During questioning, Vihal claimed the snake was given to him by a minor for sale. The officials then traced and apprehended the minor near a shopping mall.
Meanwhile, based on a tip-off about a pet shop near State Bank involved in illegal wildlife trade, an undercover officer visited the shop as a customer. The shop’s staff contacted Vihal to procure a snake, following which a swift raid was conducted. The shop owner and his employee were arrested, and several star tortoises were also seized from the premises.
According to officials, the accused were illegally selling Indian rock pythons—protected under Schedule I, Part C of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972—by falsely identifying them as Burmese ball pythons to cater to the exotic pet trade.
A case has been registered under the Wildlife Protection Act, and initial investigations suggest that the racket extends into Tamil Nadu, with some buyers seeking the animals for domestic pet use.
Further investigation is underway under the supervision of Deputy Conservator of Forests Anthony Mariappa and Assistant Conservator of Forests J Clifford Lobo.