Two arrested after python found for sale on social media in North West
According to police, the animal was being sold for R5 000 when officers intervened.
Two men were arrested in Delareyville after a live Southern African Python was found for sale on a private social media platform, according to police spokesperson Colonel Anne Magakoe. The Python had been advertised for R5 000 when officers intervened in the illegal online wildlife trade. The arrests were part of a joint investigation involving the Sannieshof Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit, the North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism, and the Wildlife Crime Information Network.
Police traced the alleged seller to Delareyville and found the Python in a blue bag they were carrying. The two men were charged with possessing a protected wild animal without the required permits and conducting a restricted activity without authorization. They appeared briefly before the Delareyville Magistrate's Court on Monday and were released on warning, with the case remaining before the court.
North West Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Arthur Adams urged residents to report suspicious activities involving illegal wildlife possession, transportation, or sales to the police.
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