NEWS
Officials: Confiscated snakes moved to undisclosed 'facility'
NM Department of Wildlife would not elaborate on where seized snakes went or what would become of them
Published
The state Department of Wildlife on Wednesday said 59 snakes seized during a drug raid at a South Valley home 鈥渁re being held temporarily at a properly equipped and permitted facility with the proper means of caring for them.鈥�
Spokesperson Darren Vaughan would not say whether the facility was local or out-of-state, nor what would become of the animals, many of which were highly venomous and included a variety of pit vipers, mambas and cobras.
鈥淲e are working on permanent proper placement,鈥� he said in an email.
Vaughan shared lapel video showing a Department of Wildlife officer and several others, clad in polo shirts, wrangling snakes into containers in a cluttered room full of enclosures. The faces of those in the room were blurred, and one commented, 鈥渉e鈥檚 gorgeous鈥� as the group lifted a snake from an enclosure and lowered it into a bucket.
The snakes were discovered by Homeland Security Investigations agents during a July 22 search of a Southwest Albuquerque home. Agents were looking for evidence of drug trafficking after a man who lived there allegedly sold cocaine to undercover agents.
HSI found dozens of enclosures with venomous snakes inside the home, as well as several guns, a large amount of cash and a half-pound of cocaine, according to court records.
When asked for comment, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said 鈥淗SI special agents executed a criminal search warrant as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. No further details are available at this time.鈥�
The allegations against the suspect and details of the search were revealed in unsealed affidavits filed in U.S. District Court for New Mexico. No charges related to the drugs or snakes have been filed against the suspect in online court records.
鈥淣one of these snakes were legal to possess,鈥� Vaughan said. He would not comment on whether the suspect was facing charges for the snakes, saying 鈥渢his remains an ongoing investigation.鈥�
According to state statute, it is a misdemeanor to import any live, nondomesticated animals, birds or fish into New Mexico without obtaining a permit from the Department of Wildlife.
Vaughan said the department was unaware of any permits the suspect had for the exotic snakes.
鈥淎ny animal possessed contrary to this section shall be subject to seizure by any officer authorized to enforce the provisions,鈥� .
The statute states that any person who has an animal seized from them will have no more than 30 days to arrange for it to be transported out of New Mexico 鈥渁nd pay for the care and transportation rendered.鈥�
According to the statute, 鈥淔ailure to make these arrangements within 30 days will result in the animal being considered abandoned. Abandoned animals will be disposed of at the discretion of the department.鈥�
Vaughan said two rattlesnake species in the suspect鈥檚 possession, including a tiger rattlesnake, were not seized 鈥渁s they are native to New Mexico and were legally collected within the state.鈥�
