100 Deadly Snakes Confiscated in Kentucky

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Plus100 Deadly Snakes Confiscated in Kentucky100 Deadly Snakes Confiscated in KentuckyThe Associated PressOfficials in Frankfort, Kentucky confiscated more that 100 deadly snakes after a two-year undercover investigation into an illegal reptile trading business. Police arrested 10 people. They face more than 700 misdemeanor charges. (July 13)[Notes:ANCHOR VOICE] [Notes:Courtesy WKYT][Notes:Dateline: Frankfort, KY] [Notes:Various vid snakes]They're some of the deadliest snakes in the world. [Notes:SOT Lt. Richard Skaggs, KY Conservation Officer: " We did find that people were buying and selling a lot of inherently dangerous wildlife."] State and wildlife officials confiscated more than one hundred poisonous snakes in Kentucky Thursday.That's after a two-year undercover investigation into an illegal reptile trading business. [Notes:SOT Lt. Richard Skaggs, KY Conservation Officer: "One individual had the snakes locked up in the bedroom, and his father and the two little children in the house didn't know that they were there."]Officials arrested 10 people ... Who they say purchased more than 200 illegal reptiles over two years. They say most of the snakes were taken from the home of a pastor who handles snakes in religious rites.That's illegal in most states ... including Kentucky ... but still practiced in a handful of fundamentalist churches. [Notes:SOT Lt. Richard Skaggs, KY Conservation Officer: "Wildlife is only second to drugs, as far as illegal trafficking in the United States and across the world."]Some of snakes were advertised on Web sites. Copperheads were going for 50 dollars and cobras for four hundred dollars. [Notes:SOT Lt. Richard Skaggs, KY Conservation Officer: "We are going to crack down on buying and selling of wildlife, so beware."]The snakes ... plus one alligator ... were taken to the Kentucky Reptile Zoo. The ten people arrested are facing more than 700 misdemeanor charges. ___ ___, The Associated Press.(****END****)

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