Posted on 07/29/2026 11:58:33 AM PDT by CedarDave
Federal agents came across a lot more than cocaine, guns and cash when they searched the home of a suspected drug trafficker in the South Valley last week.
Agents also discovered more than 50 venomous snakes, including pit vipers, cobras and the inland taipan — the most venomous snake in the world — according to search warrants unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court for New Mexico.
According to a NM Department of Wildlife seizure inventory, the snakes included king and spitting cobras, Fer-de-lance, black and green mambas, numerous varieties of pit vipers and reticulated pythons. Many of the snakes, some of which were hatchlings, were in enclosures while others were in large trash cans and plastic tubs.
Bob Myers, owner of the Rattlesnake Museum in Old Town, said 9 out of 10 of the snakes on the list are “easily lethal to human beings.”
The Journal reached to Myers as a snake expert. He had nothing to do with the case or snake seizure.
Myers said the inland taipan tops the list as “the most potently venomous land snake in the world.” He said the seized Russell’s viper is a “big culprit” in the 10,000 to 50,000 snake bite deaths recorded in India every year.
“I don't know who this person is, but that is a very serious collection of venomous snakes and nonvenomous — the reticulated pythons get big. They're powerful. They can overcome a human and kill them. So, gosh, that is some list,” Myers said.
Aside from the snakes, court records show Homeland Security Investigations agents found a half-pound of cocaine, three guns and $22,000 in cash. There was no mention of snakes in the documents supporting the search warrant and it is unclear if the agents knew what they were walking into.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
Marlin Perkins (host of Mutual ofOmaha's Wild Kingdom) was bitten by a Gaboon viper once.
I read that the bite was by one fang on only one finger, and he still required blood transfusions to save his life...
Marlin Perkins (host of Mutual ofOmaha's Wild Kingdom) was bitten by a Gaboon viper once.
I read that the bite was by one fang on only one finger, and he still required blood transfusions to save his life...
See #9 on the list.
A new take on “Send money, guns, and lawyers”, I guess.
No word on who the perp was ? Sounds like a protected species himself.
Of course, it's all for show, they usually hire some guy as a handler to take all of the risks involved in keeping these "pets".
That would blow very much.
I think the panthers and other big cats finish off many of them.
From later in the article (300 word excerpt for ABQ Journal stories):
...the Journal is not identifying the suspect since no charges have been filed against him, according to online court records. When asked if the suspect had been charged, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for New Mexico said “no comment.”
“I worry that these could escape and become invasive species like pythons in the Everglades.”
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You just know some jerk has already done that with the poison ones.
Taipan is from Australia.
I saw one in ‘95.
Imagine a cobra with a really bad attitude.
“I don’t know who this person is,”
Neither do we, thank you for your service.
Fer de lance and bushmasters were ubiquitous where I hanged in the 80s
I killed a bushy once with my Land Rover 110
The locals I was letting ride in the back bed stopped me and one went off the thick jungle after it
Five minutes later he comes back with it about 7-8 foot
Supper he said glowingly
All he had was an old single shot Steven’s 12 bore which he didn’t need
I grew up Deep South
Cottonmouth copperhead and big cane rattlers were common
Rarely a coral snake
I saw one one nite in our pump house at lake bruin on the pier
Only one in my life
I was about 10
Red on yellow deadly fellow
Even then I knew that
He probably snuck them in while they were eggs.
Some agency should take them and milk them for antivenom.
That little critter is adorable!
They should all be killed. Floridians know the price of idiots letting their pet snakes loose when they tire of feeding them...
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