In a joint raid, the state forest department and the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) recovered around 2.8 kilos of suspected snake venom from the outskirts of Siliguri on Tuesday afternoon.

Shahnawaj, Md. Touheed Alam and Ajmal, all residents of North Dinajpur, were arrested.

Sources said that a team of the Bagdogra forest range of Kurseong forest division and WCCB intercepted a car and a scooty on the Mahananda river bridge in Murakligach under Phansidewa police station of Darjeeling district around 2.30pm.

“The vehicles were used for transporting the suspected snake venom which was in two glass jars in crystallized form. One jar had 1.769kg of the item and the other 2.029kg,” said a forester.

The jars were wrapped in Bangladeshi newspapers and hidden in cardboard boxes.

“We suspect the snake venom was smuggled into India from Bangladesh. The arrested trio need to be interrogated for more information,” the forest officer added.

“On Wednesday, they will be produced in court,” said a source.