During the night of August 22 to 23, 10 lemurs and 2 white-lipped tamarins, animals classified as protected species, were stolen during the robbery of the Upie zoo, in the Drôme.
Read also Flight of 12 lemurs and tamarins in a Drôme zoo
Tuesday, August 31, two suspects were arrested and brought before the public prosecutor of Valencia, before being presented to an investigating judge for their indictment, according to a press release from the national gendarmerie.
A judicial investigation was opened for "theft by breaking and entering" and "concealment".
The accused were placed in pre-trial detention.
Local phenomenon of trafficking in protected species
The thieves were intercepted after a refusal of control on a road connecting the Ardèche to the Drôme, while they were in the offending vehicle. During the search of this vehicle, two boxes containing 8 living lemurs were discovered by investigators in the cabin. The driver and passenger were taken into custody, but the passenger was quickly exonerated and released. In further investigation, a third person has been identified. Suspected of having participated in the burglary, the latter was taken into police custody.
Investigators then suspect them of having become complicit in local trafficking in protected species with the aim of selling to individuals, explains
the national gendarmerie
to
Figaro
, specifying that all the animals have not yet been found, in particular two lemurs and two tamarins. Research is continuing, therefore, but the national gendarmerie tells us that, despite the fact that "
it is for the moment too early to be categorical, the investigations will not be reduced to these three people
". "
We are going to check whether there have been other thefts of animals from zoos, pet stores or even from private homes.
», We are told, adding that, for the moment, the motivations of the suspects have not yet been clarified.
The investigations were entrusted to the investigators of the Crest company, who are supported by gendarmes from Drôme, but also by the research section of Grenoble and by the Central Office for the fight against attacks on the environment and public health (OCLAESP).
