From correspondents in Kathmandu, Nepal, 08:00 PM IST

Snakes are being smuggled from Eastern Nepal into India due to the high demand for snake poison in illegal global markets, a media report said Sunday.

The report said dozens of snake charmers from India are currently camping in the Jhapa district in Eastern Nepal to catch snakes.

The snake charmers take advantage of the summer season as these reptiles come out of their burrows to bask under the sun, the RSS news agency reported.

The local administration has not taken any effort to stop the smuggling of snakes from Jhapa, the report said citing a local resident.

'Snake charmers from India come here to catch snakes and extract their poison for sale in the illegal markets,' said Suresh Shivakoti of Dangibari village, some 320 km from Kathmandu.

The snake poison is used for making traditional medicines, the report said.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)