More than 2,000 animals and plants protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species seized
Around 500 wildlife and timber smuggling suspects were arrested worldwide in October in an international police and customs operation, Interpol announced today.
Operation Thunder, which took place from October 2 to 27 with the participation of 133 countries, allowed the confiscation of over 2,000 animals and plants protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), Interpol, based in Lyon, in central-eastern France, clarifies in its announcement.
“These horrendous crimes are depriving not only the world of unique animals and plants, but also countries, of their advantages and their natural resources,” Jürgen Stock, Interpol’s secretary general, said in a statement.
Operation Thunder is a joint operation coordinated annually by Interpol and the World Customs Organization with the support of CITES and the International Consortium to Combat Wildlife Crime.
Hundreds of packages, suitcases, vehicles, boats and freight carriers were checked this year, mostly with trained dogs and X-ray scanners to spot hidden animals and timber.
Among those seized are over 300 kg of ivory, thousands of turtle eggs, 30 tons of plants, dozens of big cat body parts and rhino horns, as well as monkeys, birds and marine species.
About 2,624 m3 of timber, the equivalent of 440 standard-size shipping containers, was also seized, according to the same source.
“The cost to communities is even greater because, as this operation shows, almost all environmental crimes are linked to other forms of crime, notably violence, corruption and financial crime,” Stock added, underscoring the involvement of “transnational organized criminal groups”.
Persons known to be trafficked, who were subject to a “red notice” (nb: an international search warrant issued by Interpol at the request of the judicial authorities of an Interpol member country) were identified prior to targeting operations as they passed through border checkpoints .
Source: Skai
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