venomous snakes
14 May 2007
The Gauteng Environmental Management Inspectors, dubbed the Green Scorpions,
pounced on a suspicious post office parcel and removed ten extremely venomous
snakes. Working on a tip-off from the security section at the South African
Postal Services, the Gauteng Environmental Management Inspectors (EMIs)
searched a suspicious parcel at Primrose Post Office. The parcel, from the
Czech Republic, contained four video cassettes. Opening the parcel, the EMIs
were astounded to find that the parcel contained no cassettes but extremely
poisonous snakes, including three albino monocle cobras, three Arabian
saw-scaled vipers/Palestine saw-scaled vipers, two Namibian spitting cobras and
two taipans. Taipans, usually found in Australia, are considered to be the most
venomous snakes. All the snakes confiscated are venomous with no anti-venom
available in South Africa.
Subsequent to this operation and collaborating with the Germiston South
African Police Service (SAPS) Organised Crime Unit, the Security and
Investigation Services of the South African Post Office and the Endangered and
Protected Species Dog Unit of the SAPS Gauteng, the EMIs embarked on another
sting operation. The addressee on the 'video cassettes' parcel revealed to the
investigations team that he had been requested to allow an acquaintance to
receive a parcel through his postal box and that another parcel is
expected.
A follow-up surveillance and raid at the acquaintance's residence after the
arrival of the second parcel, yielded a total of thirteen (13) snakes,
including three found at the acquaintance's residence.
A criminal case is being investigated and the authorities in the Czech
Republic and Australia are assisting in the ongoing investigations. Commending
the EMIs, the South African Police Service and the South African Post Office's
security for their vigilance and prompt action, Gauteng MEC for Agriculture,
Conservation and Environment, Khabisi Mosunkutu, said, "A potentially deadly
tragedy has been averted. You can well imagine what would have happened had the
fragile container been broken and the snakes let loose. The team has conducted
itself impeccably and in line with the provincial government's strategic
objective of further building an effective and caring government."
For more information, contact:
Jacques du Toit
Cell: 083 308 1366
Sizwe Matshikiza
Tel: 011 355 1316
Cell: 082 778 9996
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment, Gauteng
Provincial Government
14 May 2007
