NEW DELHI: Six members of a suspected international smuggling racket were arrested with an estimated $15 million of snake venom hidden in school bags close to Bhutan border in eastern India, officials said on Sunday.

The gang were riding two motorbikes and carrying school bags containing three bullet-proof glass containers of the venom when they were arrested by police on Saturday in Baikunthpur forest area of Jalpaiguri district in West Bengal.

“This haul is worth at least 100 crore ($15 million) on (the) international market. There are three different containers with venom in coco-cola liquid form, white crystals and yellow granule form,” P. R. Pradhan, divisional forest officer, Baikunthpur forest division said.

The glass containers are stamped with “Made in France”, Pradhan said, adding that the arrested men said the consignment may have arrived from France before they picked it up from Bangladesh for delivery in Bhutan.

The venom is believed to be from a cobra but chemical tests are being conducted to identify the snake species, he said. Jalpaiguri’s police chief Akash Meghariya said the smugglers are being questioned about their links to an international syndicate.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2015

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