Snakes to travel in coffee bottles

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Conservation authorities have foiled an attempt by three Russians to smuggle three Boeleni python out of Irian Jaya province.

Setio Hindrianto, head of the local conservation office, told Antara Tuesday that the three snakes were placed in instant coffee bottles and hidden in a room at the Mangsapurani Hotel near Sentani airport in Jayapura.

According to Setio, the Russians -- identified only as DT, VD and VLD -- were accompanied by a guide from Bogor, West Java. They claimed to have a permit issued by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences to conduct a study on the snake. The Institute denied issuing the permit.

Conservation office personnel grew suspicious when only one of the two people registered to handle the snakes came to pick them up.

The Russians said that they purchased the three snakes from Wamena villagers for Rp 100,000 (about US$43) each.

In Jakarta, each would sell for more than Rp 1 million, fetching even higher prices abroad. (14)