Spanish police stated Monday that that they had arrested two other people suspected of promoting on-line unique cats together with safe species akin to white tigers and pumas, and had confiscated 19 tom cats within the operation.
Officials arrested the couple at the island of Majorca, the place they’re suspected of elevating wasteland lynxes and servals, a wild cat local to Africa, in addition to hybrid species created via crossing those breeds with home cats, police stated in a remark. In keeping with the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the 2 suspects arrested are Russian.
Additional investigations discovered that their actions have been simply “the end of the iceberg” of a world trafficking operation of safe species akin to white tigers and black panthers “involving breeders, transporters and veterinarians,” the Spanish Civil Guard and Internal Ministry stated in a news release.
“Lots of the animals introduced on the market got here from international locations akin to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine to be smuggled into the Ecu Union,” they added.
Police suspect the animals have been introduced into the Ecu Union by way of Poland from Belarus, and have been then introduced around the bloc with false documentation.
A number of the different species the couple introduced on the market on its social media accounts have been Ecu lynxes, hyenas and pumas. Officials released several images appearing the cats in enclosures and officials collecting evidence.
Police stated the suspects had introduced a clouded leopard, one of the crucial international’s maximum uncommon and elusive cats, at a value of 60,000 euros ($68,000).
Officials additionally seized a caracal, a wasteland lynx recognized for its unique lengthy ear tufts, in addition to two servals and 16 hybrid tom cats.
In addition they seized greater than 40 animal passports from Russia, Belarus and China as a part of the operation.
Police stated that makes an attempt to reproduce and stay unique cats as pets are popular in Russia and Ukraine, and the fad has expanded to different international locations.
“Those species require a large number of area,” police stated. “Moreover, they’re very competitive and will pose a threat to other people or different animals, such a lot of other people finally end up eliminating those specimens.”
