Excise Circle Inspector B. Suresh who led the team said that 19-year-old Mahinshah, from Keralapuram on the outskirts of Kollam city, regularly travelled to Irumbanam in Ernakulam to get the kick from snake venom.

Mahinshah turned a drug addict during his early teens and went for snake venom whenever he felt that cannabis was not providing him the required high.

For each bite he paid amounts ranging from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 2,500.

He told the Excise officers that it was a small snake that remained comfortably coiled in a 200 ml bottle.

The snake bites when it is softly pressed. The bite was administered under the tongue. He said its effects lasted for five to six days.

Mr. Suresh said that the owner of the snake has been identified and would be arrested soon.

The species of the snake used has not identified. But given its description it is suspected to be from the drysdalia species of the elapid family of venomous snakes. Mr. Suresh said the disclosure by Mahinshah showed that many who had been abusing narcotic substances for years could be moving over to snake venom to get a high. Since long there have been reports that a section of snake-catchers are trading in snake venom.

The reports also say that the venom which is ‘milked’ from snakes could reach the drug cartels that dilute it and sell as narcotic substances for the addicts.

Mahinshah allegedly confessed that he got in touch with the snake owner after searching the Internet for ways to get new highs. He will be produced in a magistrate court here on Monday.