Murcia Today
The Guardia Civil have busted a ring of individuals involved in the illegal trading of stuffed animals in an operation which resulted in the confiscation of entire animals and various body parts in the regions of Madrid, Navarra, Catalunya and the Balearics.
One of those under their investigation is an individual in Madrid who has been found to have acted as an intermediary in the sale and purchase of the items concerned, while in Navarra a complete African elephant head, two tusks and two fibre-glass ears were taken into custody.
In the Catalan province of Lleida, meanwhile, a taxidermist was found to be in possession of 20 objects related to the man at the centre of “Operación Loxodonta” in Mallorca, and some of these objects were being illegally offered for sale.
This is the second phase of the Guardia’s investigation, which began in January 2018 and has already resulted in the arrest of an individual in the Balearics for selling items in which trading is prohibited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
At the same time over 90 objects were taken into custody, and the 70 in connection with which irregularities were detected had an estimated value on the black market of 200,000 euros.
In addition, 104 rearms were confiscated, among them 36 without the necessary permits and licences, 18 in perfect working order and four which are illegal in this country.
