Web site leads police to unlawful pet retailer in Spain with over 150 unique animals, together with endangered species

The Spanish Civil Guard on Tuesday stated it had dismantled an unlawful animal trafficking ring, together with endangered or protected species.

Two males aged 30 and 35 had been discovered with greater than 150 unique animals at an unlawful pet retailer within the city of Nules, within the jap Valencia area, police stated in a assertion.

Neither had a allow to boost the animals, which they bought on the web. Each are being prosecuted for trafficking protected species and smuggling, the assertion learn.

The investigation started a number of months in the past when officers noticed an inventory on an web website providing “protected species on the market.” They then found movies of a person elevating animals together with leopards, owls and llamas.

After regulation enforcement lastly positioned the captivity website in Nules, greater than 150 varieties of 56 unique species had been present in cages, together with two ring-tailed lemurs, a Bali starling, a zebra, 5 kinkajous, 4 ibises and two meerkats.

A number of the animals have the very best worldwide safety as endangered species, such because the lemurs, starling and two Asian otters, police stated.

Officers on Tuesday launched video and a number of photos of a few of the animals.

Three macaws had been additionally discovered on the website and police stated two of them had been reported stolen in a city in Almería, which is a couple of five-hour drive away from Nules.

The typical market worth of the seized animals is sort of $81,500, the Civil Guard stated.

The bust comes about 4 months after officers dismantled an internet trafficking operation in massive cats, together with white tigers, lynx and pumas within the Balearic Islands.