280 birds seized in raid for illegal trade in species in southern Spain

More than 280 birds, including macaws, parrots and cockatoos, have been seized by the Guardia Civil from a network dedicated to the illegal trade of protected species in southern Spain that exported to countries such as Morocco.

The main detainee was using his job in a travel agency for these exports and the volume of business in the last five years would amount to more than one million euros, as reported by the Guardia Civil in a statement.

More than 280 birds of protected species bound for Morocco

Within the framework of the ORATRIX operation, developed in three phases, SEPRONA of the Guardia Civil has seized more than 280 protected birds among which there are macaws, parrots and cockatoos, in addition to abundant documentation and cash.

Those investigated, under cover of false documentation, were breeding for years pairs of species which they then tried to sell on the black market, given that this type of exotic species is in high demand and the existence of export routes from Spain to Morocco has been confirmed.
The collaboration of the Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie has been fundamental in locating a transport route, which used the interior of the buses to hide and transport the birds, according to the Guardia Civil.

In Spain, in some cases, they used macaws and other species of lesser value and put them on sale through the internet, swindling users who never received their birds or pretending to be buyers who never paid for the species in demand.

Spain, a strategic point in the illegal trade of species

This illegal trade reported a turnover of more than 100,000 euros per year to the detainees and the valuation of the seized birds reaches up to 550,000 euros.

Spain’s geographical location makes it a gateway and intermediary to Europe and Asia for species originating from South American countries.
The development of this type of action requires a fluid exchange of information, which allows the traceability of the species in the countries of origin and destination to be known in order to detect possible irregularities derived from their illegal obtaining.

However, the relevance of this operation lies in the fact that an opposite flow has been observed when the existence of an emerging illegal market for this type of animal towards North African countries has been discovered.
In the investigation, the genetic identification of the species and their paternal-sibling relationship through DNA has been fundamental and more than 250 samples have been taken and will be analyzed.

EUROPOL has supported the operational analysis and strategic analysis of the documentation and has checked and continues to investigate the routes of departure of these species to other Member States and third countries.

Environmental crime

According to the Guardia Civil, in recent years environmental crime has become one of the most lucrative activities moving billions of euros each year and constitutes, along with human trafficking and drug trafficking, one of the most important threats.

The first actions were carried out by the Delegate Prosecutor’s Office for the Environment in Malaga, and the judicial instruction was carried out by the 10th Court of Malaga, with the participation of the Museum of Natural Sciences of Madrid and the FIEB Foundation (Foundation for Research in Ethology and Biodiversity).

Crimes of money laundering, smuggling, professional intrusion and fraud are being investigated, among others