A person was on Friday arrested from West Bengal's Murshidabad district for trying to smuggle a rare species of takshak snake (gecko) worth Rs 9 crore, police said.

"A man named Isha Seikh was arrested near Murshidabad district's Farakka area with a rare species of takshak on Friday morning during checking. The snake is of a rare species and costs around Rs 9 crore in the illegal market," an officer from Farakka police station said.

Police said Shiekh caught the creature from a forest in Malda district's Kaliachawk and was supposed to deliver it to two smugglers from Jharkhand.

"The snake has been handed over to the local forest department. It is in stable condition," the officer said.

"The accused has been arrested and produced to Jangipur sub-divisional court. He would be interrogated about his association with wild animal smuggling rackets," he added.

--IANS

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