Slippery getaway: Man evades capture in snake bust

[geovalin]

Kim Sarom

Police in Banteay Meanchey confiscated about 40 snakes, including endangered cobras, from a truck on Saturday but failed to arrest the man driving the truck, who fled the scene.

After being told of the truck’s cargo by an informant, provincial anti-economic crime officers intercepted the vehicle in Banteay Meanchey’s Sisophon town, Chab Sopharith, provincial director of the anti-economic crime unit, said yesterday.

“The middleman put the snakes and cobras in a plastic bag, so we did not dare to unpack the bag, but we have handed it to the forest warden,” Sopharith said.

The suspect fled the scene, but police found a paratrooper uniform with a badge in the truck. Police are searching for the suspect.

The informant told police he believed the reptiles came from the province’s Thma Puok district.

Authorities yesterday were unclear of the suspect’s intended destination.

Provincial Forestry Administration chief Chea Phally yesterday said the snakes would be handed to an NGO.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/slippery-getaway-man-evades-capture-snake-bust