27.07.2026 00:50
An electricity bill that seemed ordinary in China uncovered an illegal python trade worth millions of dollars. During a raid prompted by high energy consumption, police seized hundreds of pythons, and as the investigation expanded, a total of 436 pythons were found. Three individuals linked to the case were sentenced to prison.
A person illegally breeding pythons in China's Zhejiang province was caught thanks to unusually high electricity consumption at their home. During a police raid, hundreds of pythons were seized, and with the expansion of the investigation, a total of 436 pythons were found. Three individuals linked to the incident were sentenced to prison.
ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION RAISED SUSPICION
The incident began when a resident in Taizhou city noticed a large python that should not have been in the local natural habitat and reported it to authorities. During the investigation, experts stated that pythons require a warm and humid environment year-round to survive, which would lead to high electricity consumption. Subsequently, police examined the electricity usage records of nearby residences.
309 PYTHONS FOUND IN THE HOME
During a raid on an apartment with suspicious electricity consumption, police discovered that two bedrooms and the living room were entirely used for reptile breeding. 309 pythons were seized from plastic containers, and the animals were later handed over to a zoo.
SALES CONDUCTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA
Deepening the investigation, teams determined that the homeowner had made posts about pythons on social media accounts and engaged in illegal sales activities. Additionally, it was reported that one suspect regularly supplied white mice to feed the pythons, and the illegal trade network was uncovered along with sales records.
TOTAL VALUE OF 4.2 MILLION DOLLARS
As the investigation extended to other suspects, the number of seized pythons reached 436. According to the case file reported by China's state television CCTV, the total value of the pythons was stated to be 30 million yuan (approximately 4.2 million dollars). The court sentenced three defendants linked to illegal breeding and trafficking to prison. Under Chinese law, pythons are among protected species, and unauthorized breeding or sale is considered a crime.