Overview

• Officers in Villa San Giovanni discovered the birds during a traffic control near the embarkation area for Sicily.
• The animals were crammed into improvised cages and fruit crates with netting, with some found dead and many showing signs of suffering.
• Provincial veterinary technicians examined the survivors, and a judicial order authorized their release into open countryside.
• The driver was denounced on charges including animal maltreatment and offenses involving protected wild species.
• Investigators estimate the haul could have fetched about €200,000 on the black market, and the birds’ origin remains under investigation.