The Brazilian police carried out on Friday, December 4 a major crackdown against the trafficking of wild animals, notably arresting one of the main traffickers in the country and freeing more than 200 animals intended for clandestine sale.
Read also: Trafficking in wild animals: "Tens of thousands of species are targeted"
The Federal Police announced at a press conference that 14 arrest warrants had been issued and that 11 people had been arrested at midday.
The suspects are accused of smuggling animals, including some endangered species, captured in the rainforest, such as macaws, toucans, primates or even caimans, on social media.
One of those arrested is Roberto Augusto Martinez Filho, presented by investigators as "
one of the main animal traffickers in the country
".
He had already been arrested in August and two monkeys had been seized from his home, but had been released pending trial.
Another suspect "
had been involved in the trafficking of wild animals for 38 years and was handing over to his son
", added Sebastião Pujol, Commissioner of the Federal Police, during the press conference.
The crackdown carried out on Friday is linked to a first operation of the same type launched in May 2019. Thanks to the evidence collected during this first operation, the police managed to save "
500 animals, including more than 200 only this Friday, especially birds
”.
Beyond the offenses of animal trafficking and criminal association, the suspects are also accused of "
crime of endangering public health
", certain species being carriers of zoonoses, diseases and transmissible infections of the animal to man.
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