The Border Security Force has managed to recover a container of snake venom believed to be smuggled from Bangladesh enroute to China. The cost of the venom is around Rs 6 crore.
The incident occurred at the Bhimpur Indo-Bangladesh border at Hilli in the North Dinajpur district. The BSF manning the border had a tip-off that there could be attempts to sneak in snake venom from Bangladesh which fetches very high prices in the international markets. Accordingly, there were additional forces deployed.
In the wee hours of Monday morning, the BSF jawans keeping watch, saw three persons trying to sneak in. They were given a chase. The three managed to give the jawans a slip but in the process left behind a bag.
"The bag contained a bullet-proof jar of a brownish liquid believed to be snake venom. It fetches a high price in international markets. No arrests have been made," stated B S Negi, Commanding Officer, 199 Battalion of the BSF.
The bullet-proof glass jar bore a label "Red Dragon" (the name of the company) and "Made in France."
"In the past too there have been many instances when such jars containing black cobra venom had been smuggled in from Bangladesh enroute to China. The route for this trade is through India and there is a racket dealing in smuggled animal parts and venom operational in North Bengal. We will be sending the jars to the lab in Mumbai for testing and to ascertain whether the substance contained is snake venom or not," stated Abdur Rezzak, Range Officer, Balurghat.
Protein from King Cobra venom triggers neurological reactions in mice called Ohanin. Ohanin is now being used in a painkiller that is 20 times more potent than morphine with no observable side effects.
As an intoxicant, one drop of cobra venom is mixed in a glass of water and consumed. This gives a high. In the black market in India, a 5ml vial of cobra venom is priced at around Rs 15,000.
Incidentally, on October 16, 2016, the Forest department arrested four persons from Siliguri in North Bengal and seized five containers of black cobra venom believed to fetch Rs 200 crore in the black market.
On June 26, 2015, six persons had been arrested with a consignment of three jars of similar processed black cobra venom by Ranger Dutta and his men. The consignment worth Rs 100 crore was then on its way to China from France via Bangladesh, North Bengal and Bhutan.
Owing to North Bengal being surrounded by four international borders namely Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and China, the area is highly vulnerable to such rackets.
Similar consignments were seized in 2014 close to the Indo-Bangla border and in Siliguri. In December 2013, a consignment of about 500 ml of raw venom was seized from Siliguri on its way to China. Smugglers have also been arrested in the past trying to smuggle out live snakes.