Agents Seize 411 Bottles of Rattlesnake-Infused Vodka in Texas Raid

Agents Seize 411 Bottles of Rattlesnake-Infused Vodka in Texas Raid
Tuesday , March 18, 2008


Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission officials were rattled last Thursday by the discovery of over 400 bottles of illegal booze, each containing a 10-inch rattlesnake in the bottle, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

After receiving a tip several weeks ago, TABC agents raided Bayou Bob’s Brazos River Rattlesnake Ranch in Palo Pinto County after the reptile-infused vodka was sold to undercover agents, the paper reported. 411 bottles of the serpent sauce were seized.

“In my 20 years with the TABC, I’ve never seen anything like it,” Sgt. Charlie Cloud told the Star-Telegram.

TABC officials told the Star-Telegram that they plan to file charges this week for the sale of alcohol without a permit and possession of alcohol with the intent to sell. Penalties for those charges include up to a year in the county jail and fines up to $1,000 upon conviction.

Infusing alcohol with snakes or scorpions is believed to possess aphrodisiac properties, TABC officials told the paper. The practice, in which alcohol is poured over the body of a snake or scorpion, is popular in Asian cultures.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,338900,00.html

Well there goes my Vodka order.

TABC testing rattlesnake vodka

10:41 PM CDT on Friday, April 4, 2008

By SHELTON GREEN
KVUE News

Federal authorities are now showing interest in an unusual find at a snake farm in Weatherford, outside of Fort Worth.

Video


TABC tests rattlesnake vodka
04/04/2008

A few weeks ago a customer who visited "Bayou Bob's Brazos River Rattlesnake Ranch" called the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to complain about an interesting elixir being sold to patrons.

The owner of the snake ranch was rebottling vodka and putting baby rattlesnakes inside of them.

The owner Bob Popplewell told KVUE that he was selling them as novelty items.

Popplewell was arrested by the TABC. and charged with selling alcohol without a license.

However his troubles may be far from over.

The TABC is currently testing the rattlesnake vodka at its chemistry lab in Austin to see if the mixture contains impurities and toxins.

Agents believe that some customers who spent $23 a bottle on the rattlesnake vodka may have ingested the liquid.

"When I tested the alcohol content I had to turn on the fans and clear out the room for a while because it really fouled the chemistry lab up" says Joy Murray, the TABC's chemist.

Investigators say they don't know if the baby rattlers were alive or dead when entombed in the vodka.

The snake farm owner faces up to a year in prison and federal charges may follow.

http://www.kvue.com/news/green/stori....3170fa8f.html

No cruelty to animals charges?