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Police seize illegal snakeskin boots from San Luis Obispo clothing store

July 23, 2026

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

San Luis Obispo police detectives on Sunday seized tens of thousands of dollars worth of boots that were made with python skin.

Detectives served a warrant at Salinas Charreria Western Wear located at 716 Higuera Street. While searching the clothing store, detectives located boots that were made with python skin, which is prohibited from being sold in California. Detectives confiscated 85 pairs of boots valued at between $400 and $600 per pair, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

Police later turned over the boots to California Department of Fish and Wildlife investigators. A Fish and Wildlife investigation into the Salinas Charreria Western Wear in San Luis Obispo, as well as another location in Santa Barbara County, remains ongoing.

Authorities ask that anyone who has information about illegal animal products being sold in the city of San Luis Obispo contact Police Detective Koznek at jkoznek@slopd.org or (805) 594-8005.

 


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13 Comments

I know what kind of footware DFW agents are going to be decked out in while they pursue their other trivial tasks.


2

Florida continues its streak of being run 1000% better than California. The INVASIVE python snake is a pest in Florida, and its skin is a fashion statement there, and that is completely legal.


27

Not a snake fan… and so I sure don’t want one rapped around my feet… who buys these boots?…


-16

In Florida the burmese python is an invasive species that they want people to kill year round. So they can kill them but don’t they dare use their skin to make boots and ship them to California.


51

I’d be fine with that if we can verify that the boots are made with Burmese python skins actually harvested in Florida. The problem is verification. Poaching is a huge problem worldwide, and the risk is that wild species in their home habitats will get harvested. But if some enterprising soul can make a boot business out of invasive pythons in Florida, OK by me. I support shoot on sight, shoot to kill for poachers, though. F them, they’re worthless. One man’s opinion.


13

You’re not wrong.


3

Pythons are an invasive species in Florida and are encouraged to be killed. Worthless Fish and Game in California must think they are endangered here? They are quick to site a kid on a dirt bike in the Salinas riverbed, but do nothing to the filth created by homeless camps in the river. Worthless indeed!


10

The trend setter state, California. Unreal!


5

Well THANK GOD our detectives are so busy making a difference… imagine if these criminals had gotten away with this?


With all the crap going on in our communities, THIS is what they’re spending time on?? Really? How about doing something about the cartel scumbags taking over our businesses and the homeless dirtbags ruining our community?


62

And between the Chief and his two semi-chiefs, they take in $1.6 million. But the streets and parks are littered with vagrants and Poly still runs rampant. What a joke


53

Hopefully they can afford new boots … wait … they got a few pair!


8

Perhaps they will donate the confiscated boots to the junkies, although I am not sure how snakeskin holds up in creek beds.


7

Wait, is that you Wiley Coyot, er, Copperhead?


0