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3w ago

Spanish Police Break Up Exotic Cat Trafficking Ring in Mallorca

Two Russian nationals arrested, 19 protected felines seized, and links to a broader international smuggling network uncovered.

The Civil Guard, as part of Operation Kotach, carried out in Valencia, has arrested two people in the town of Manacor (Mallorca) and investigated another for selling various species of exotic animals through internet portals.
The arrests in Majorca were just the "tip of the iceberg" in an international wildlife trafficking conspiracy, said the Guardia Civil.
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Overview

  • Spanish authorities arrested a 48-year-old Russian man and a 46-year-old Russian woman in Mallorca for illegal breeding and smuggling of exotic cats, including protected species.
  • Police confiscated 19 felines, including caracals, servals, and hybrid species, as well as over 40 fraudulent animal passports from Russia, Belarus, and China.
  • Investigations revealed the operation was part of a larger international network smuggling exotic animals from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine into the EU through Poland.
  • The suspects used social media platforms to advertise and sell high-value species such as clouded leopards, white tigers, and pumas, with some animals priced as high as €60,000.
  • The case highlights growing concerns over illegal wildlife trafficking, hybridization practices, and the exploitation of digital platforms to meet demand for exotic pets.