Police investigate firms after snakes found in western Seoul

Police said Wednesday that they plan to investigate companies making products advertized as stamina food containing snake-based ingredients, in an effort to find where a number of snakes caught and sighted in Sinwol-dong, western Seoul, came from.

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Wednesday that investigators will enter businesses located in the area to determine whether any snakes went missing or were left unattended.

Eighteen snakes have been seen in the residential area of Sinwol-dong since June 29. They were encountered in parking lots, and even inside the bedrooms and bathrooms of homes, terrifying local residents.

Of the total, 13 were caught and five escaped. They included yellow skinned varieties and even venomous snakes.

Investigators said the variety of species and the fact that there are no mountains near the area motivated the search of the food businesses. <The Korea Times/Kim Bo-eun>

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