More than a dozen snakes that appeared in Sinwol-dong in southwestern Seoul escaped from a traditional health-supplement shop, it was revealed Thursday.

Since June 29, 17 snakes have appeared in an area of Sinwol-dong undergoing redevelopment. With the sightings being concentrated in an area with a radius of 200 meters, the police raided a health-supplement shop in the area on Wednesday.

According to the police, the unidentified owner of the shop illegally captured 23 snakes and brought them back to his shop, but all of the reptiles escaped and appeared sporadically in the nearby residential area.

The snakes, captured in May in South Gyeongsang Province, included 13 yellow Korean rat snakes, which are an endangered species.

The police said that the shop’s owner had captured the snakes to make soup for clients and the police are now looking to expand the investigation to include individuals who ordered snake soup from the shop.

The police also seized 26 bottles of alcoholic beverages containing snakes with an estimated value of 7 million won ($6,100) after searching the shop, and the owner’s vehicle and home.

Some people believe that snakes have special properties, and different types of snakes are used to treat a wide range of ailments including tuberculosis, aches and a lack of energy.

Such traditional health-supplement shops often provide snake-based supplements and even alcoholic beverages with whole snakes inside.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)