Spanish-Moroccan Authorities Bust Rare Animal Trafficking Ring, Seize Exotic Birds

This collaboration of the royal gendarmerie with the Spanish Guardia Civil has made it possible to trace the journey of these traffickers, accused of smuggling, fraud and money laundering, reports Assabah. The head of this mafia network was taking advantage of his position in a travel agency to mask these clandestine operations.

The boss of the operations was hiding the rare birds on board international coaches. This information allowed the Guardia Civil to arrest the head of this network, and 22 other individuals. In addition, the searches carried out also made it possible to seize more than 280 birds, worth 550,000 euros. The network was preparing to sell them on the Moroccan and Spanish markets.

According to the same daily, the elements of this network have been operating for more than five years and have amassed a fortune estimated at several million dirhams. Like the head of this network, other members were also active in the tourism sector in order to facilitate transactions with a large number of Moroccan fortunes unfortunately defrauded in this money laundering extended to other animal species, including rare fish and reptiles.