Prosecutors Investigate Man Suspected of Illegally Keeping 200 Venomous Protected Snakes

The District Prosecutor’s Office in Veliko Tarnovo is investigating a report that a private individual has been illegally keeping around 200 venomous reptiles belonging to a protected species.

The alert was filed by the Regional Environmental Inspectorate in Veliko Tarnovo, which had been notified by email that a man was boasting on social media about owning more than 200 Vipera ammodytes (nose-horned vipers). The species is protected under Bulgarian law, and keeping it without authorisation constitutes a criminal offence under the Penal Code.

Prosecutors confirmed the investigation but declined to disclose the location where the snakes are allegedly being kept, as the police-led inquiry is still ongoing.

The law provides for up to three years’ imprisonment or probation and a fine of between 2,000 and 10,000 leva for the illegal keeping of protected species. If trade in the protected vipers is established, the penalty rises to up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of between 2,000 and 20,000 BGN.

Source: BNR