Police in southern Italy have uncovered a secret collection of dangerous reptiles hidden behind a false wall, raising concerns that such animals are being used by criminals to threaten and intimidate victims.
According to authorities, the discovery was made during a raid in the city of Bari, where officers found a concealed basement room inside an apartment building that had been converted into an illegal reptile enclosure.
Among the animals recovered were two large green anacondas, each measuring around five metres in length and weighing approximately 60 kilograms, along with a spectacled caiman over 1.5 metres long. Police described the caiman as a highly dangerous predator with powerful jaws and aggressive tendencies, posing a serious risk to public safety.
The raid also uncovered an Asian water monitor lizard, known for its size, sharp claws, and potentially harmful bite. In addition, officers seized a yellow anaconda, a Bolivian anaconda, four Burmese pythons, and four boa constrictors.
Authorities said the reptiles were being kept by a man with multiple criminal convictions, who is currently at large.
In a statement, police warned that the illegal possession of exotic and dangerous animals is an emerging concern, particularly as such creatures are increasingly used by criminal elements as tools of intimidation or symbols of power.
