EL resident spitting mad after snakes confiscated in raid
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Duane Brandon, whose 11 snakes were confiscated by police and the Green Scorpions last Tuesday, is demanding his snakes back.
The 53-year-old truck driver said he believed the September 18 raid at his Potter Street, East London home was illegal as neither the Green Scorpions nor the police had search warrants.
The snakes confiscated included coral-banded, corn, brown house, Texas rat and king snakes, as well as two Nicaraguan boa constrictors.
Brandon, who confirmed he had no permits for the snakes (which is a requirement in SA), says the reptiles were gifts from other snake-lovers.
The Green Scorpions and the K9 unit stormed Brandon’s home hours after two people were arrested in Potter Street with a Columbian boa constrictor in the boot of their car.
“They raided my place illegally with no search warrant and I was threatened and intimidated. No documentation was produced to show that they had the authority to raid my place nor was there any documentation produced to take my snakes.”
Brandon was arrested on the same day and, according to a police charge sheet, appeared in the East London magistrate’s court charged with illegally possessing the snakes. His next court date is October 24.