‘Most dangerous snakes’ among nearly 200 illegally trafficked in Florida, officials say

Nearly 200 snakes, representing 24 species that are among the “most dangerous in the world,” were bought and sold as part of an undercover illegal wildlife trafficking investigation in Florida, according to wildlife officials.

Charges against eight traffickers ranging from second-degree misdemeanors to third-degree felonies were filed on Jan. 12 as the result of an undercover investigation called “Operation Viper,” according to the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.

During the investigation, which started in 2020, undercover investigators exchanged nearly 200 snakes with wildlife traffickers, a news release from the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission says.

The species, which were from seven regions of the world, included the inland taipan, bushmaster, rhinoceros viper, African bush viper, Gaboon viper, green mamba, eyelash viper and multiple species of spitting cobra, the release says.

“Some of these snakes are among the most dangerous in the world,” said Maj. Randy Bowlin, investigations and intelligence section leader with the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission Division of Law Enforcement. “Florida’s rules and laws are in place to protect the public and prevent tragedies from occurring.”

The illegal trafficking was often conducted through special websites or private social media pages, where “black-market deals” were arranged, the release says. Traffickers would then meet in person to buy or sell the snakes.

It is illegal in Florida to “capture, keep, possess, or exhibit” any poisonous reptile without a special permit, according to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

Some of the people charged in the investigation included wholesale dealers who were accused of importing “large shipments” of venomous snakes from multiple countries around the world, according to the release.

“If these illegal and dangerous nonnative species were to escape, they could easily live and breed in Florida’s subtropical climate,” the release says.

The inland or western taipan, which the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission listed as one of the species trafficked in the state, is considered the world’s deadliest snake, according to Britannica. The species is native to Australia.

When the snake strikes, it injects extremely potent venom into its victim, according to the Australian Museum. The venom also is able to spread through the body, making a bite potentially life-threatening.

“We fight every day to keep people alive and minimize permanent complications after a tragic bite occurs,” Dr. Benjamin Abo, a primary investigator and medical director of two venom response units, said in a statement. “The rules for the transportation, caging and handling of these animals are in place for important reasons.”

The investigation also revealed that many traffickers sourced the snakes illegally from their countries of origin, the release says. In many cases, black market dealers “launder” illegally-procured snakes through legitimate facilities so that they could be sold without their origin being known.

Investigators found evidence that some suspects were planning to release prohibited species into native habitats in Florida so that they could establish a “readily-accessible wild breeding population” to further their trafficking scheme, the release says.

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