TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said a two-year investigation uncovered an illegal snake trafficking ring in the state of Florida.
FWC officials filed charges against eight people ranging from second-degree misdemeanors to third-degree felonies related to the illegal trafficking of venomous and prohibited snakes.
FWC said it received complaints and reports indicating that a black market existed for the sale and purchase of illegal and venomous reptiles in Florida.
"These snakes came from all over the globe. They came from Australia, Asia, Africa, Central and South America. Many of them causing deaths in many of those countries, especially Africa," said Major Randy Bowlin, FWC DLE Investigations and Intelligence Section Leader.
In 2020, FWC launched a long-term investigation with undercover investigators to determine the extent of the illegal activity. FWC said investigators exchanged nearly 200 snakes consisting of 24 species with wildlife traffickers.
If these illegal and nonnative species were to escape, they could easily live and breed in Florida's subtropical climate.
Some of the species included the inland taipan, bushmaster, rhinoceros viper, African bush viper, Gaboon viper, green mamba, eyelash viper, multiple species of spitting cobra, forest cobra, puff adder and saw-scaled vipers.
"Some of these snakes are among the most dangerous in the world," said Major Bowlin.
FWC said a lot of the illegal activity was initiated on specialized websites or closed social media pages. Once the black-market deals were arranged, violators quickly transitioned to in-person meetings where they arranged to buy or sell potentially deadly species to undercover officers.
FWC officials said some of these individuals included wholesale dealers who imported large shipments of nonnative venomous snakes from multiple countries around the world. The FWC secured search warrants for many of the social media accounts to prove the illegal activity was occurring and identify additional subjects.
In Florida, a license is required to possess venomous reptiles.
"These rules are in place for public safety also to protect Florida's ecosystems. They’re imported from all over the world and they could bring disease with them," said Major Bowlin.
According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, illicit wildlife trafficking is estimated to be between $7.8 billion and $10 billion per year.
FWC officials said wildlife trafficking ranks fourth behind drugs, weapons and humans in global activity and is often a nexus for other illegal activity.
