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Nineteen endangered turtles have been recovered in Alicante by police operations in 135 countries

As part of Operation Thunder, which has been conducted in 135 countries in cooperation with groups and entities like the World Customs Organisation, the Guardia Civil’s Nature Protection Service (Seprona) has detained 13 individuals on suspicion of being involved in the illegal trafficking of protected species in Spain.

According to Seprona, the programme is one of the biggest worldwide efforts to combat environmental crimes, having recovered over 20,000 wildlife species in recent years. nineteen endangered turtles have been saved in Alicante.

The cyber patrol was coordinated by Spanish agents with help from specialised NGOs and Europol, and included environmental crime experts from Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and the United Kingdom.

In Spain

The Guardia Civil in Spain has conducted 438 inspections, found 193 administrative and 11 criminal infractions, arrested and investigated 13 individuals, and seized 50 inert pieces, including ivory, tusks, paws, and skins, as well as 192 live specimens.

In his presentation of the investigations’ primary findings, Commander Ramón González Gallego noted that “in recent years we have detected a certain interest in venomous animals such as snakes,” and that “the European Union is a transit point, but also a destination and origin point for species trafficking,” particularly with regard to birds and reptiles.

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Even if “some people are unaware that they are committing a crime,” the reality is that “we are increasingly seeing a more serious form of organised crime, which involves breeding and harvesting species for the purpose of generating profit.”

González claims that the financial gains from this kind of illicit commerce “vary depending on the sources consulted, but internationally, the range is very wide” and surpass 20 billion euros.

Penalties and violations

Along with one smuggling offence and another animal abuse offence linked to the trafficking of protected species, nearly all of the criminal offences found in Spain were related to document falsification.

The Natural Heritage and Biodiversity Law, CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) regulations, companion animal regulations, and animal health and disease and infection regulations were the most prominent administrative infractions.

According to Commander González, the punishments meted out to criminals in this space “are still low, but they are increasing because they are often associated with other crimes such as document forgery,” and “an increase in penalties is expected in the short term.”

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Additionally, Operation Thunder has made it possible to identify wood shipments from countries like Russia and Burma that are forbidden because of their origin and EU regulations.

Operational Features

Among the noteworthy operations, Seprona reported recovering 32 species from under the seats and in the trunk of a car in Tenerife, including a gallipato, a Mexican orange-legged tarantula, and a tortoise.

During a check of a residence in Telde (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), investigators found 31 other species, including pythons, enormous African snails, California garter snakes, yellow scorpions, and lizards.

18 internationally protected and endangered turtles were rescued by Guardia Civil officers in Alicante and taken to the Santa Faz Wildlife Recovery Centre.

A suitcase carrying 98 birds—both siskins and goldfinches, which are protected nationally—was discovered inside a car in Huelva.

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Costa Blanca

Cloe’s ex-boyfriend admits that he killed her along with another suspect

Samuel, the 17-year-old (at the time of the incident) accused of killing 15-year-old Cloe on the Orihuela Costa last November, testified in Alicante’s juvenile court yesterday, Thursday May 15th.


A three-hour statement for a murder classed as gender-based violence because the victim and alleged murderer were a couple.

According to Juan Carlos Fuentes, the family’s private prosecution counsel, the boy admitted to killing the girl with a knife but refused to answer any questions other than those posed by the Prosecutor’s Office and his own defence.

The teenager’s brother discovered her with a cut on her neck at home shortly before nine o’clock that Sunday night and transported her to the Torrevieja hospital, where she died shortly afterward.

The suspected killer was apprehended two hours later. Apparently, she had broken up with him a few days before. There were no reported cases of abuse.

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In addition, another minor has been arrested for alleged active participation in the crime. This boy, Dilan, is expected to testify later today and will use the same logic.

Given their proximity to age, both face the maximum term under juvenile law: eight years in detention, beginning in a juvenile centre and ending in a normal prison.


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Benidorm expects full accommodations to be packed this weekend due to Eurofans

Accommodations in Benidorm (Alicante) are expected to be nearly full, or “technically full,” this weekend due to the popularity of the Benidorm Fest, which has elevated the city to the status of a top-tier tourist destination for Europeans.

As a result, an increasing number of Eurovision fans are flocking to Benidorm to soak up the Eurovision vibe and watch the final on the large screens placed up throughout the town, as well as attend the many Euroclub events.

Israel Martínez, Director General of Tourism of the Generalitat (Catalan Government), revealed that there are “confirmed reservations for the weekend that exceed 85%,” but estimates that they will reach “100% in the city of Benidorm.”

Martínez, who travelled to Basel (Switzerland) with a delegation from the Benidorm Fest, highlighted the “deseasonalising effect” of both the music festival held in Benidorm between January and February, in the middle of the low season, and the Eurovision Song Contest itself, which many tourists choose to enjoy from Benidorm, transforming the Euroclub festivities into “a tourist phenomenon” and increasing hotel occupancy rates.

He also emphasised the “young” nature of the tourists who would visit Benidorm this weekend because of the Eurovision vibe it created in the city. In many cases, they are “new” tourists who were neither known nor devoted to the city but who, thanks to efforts like the Benidorm Fest or Eurovision broadcasts, discover the location and “get hooked,” he said. In reality, he emphasised that the Benidorm Festival and Eurovision are, in terms of visitor occupancy, “two phenomena that feed off each other and are closely linked” to the city.

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The Benidorm Fest delegation has organised a gala for this afternoon at 8 p.m. in Basel to promote the Benidorm festival and attract a European audience for the next edition.

According to Benidorm’s Head of Major Events, Jesús Carrobles, the 300 available seats for the gala have been totally sold out. While many Eurofans in Basel have shown interest in attending, the venue is currently “full.”

This event, in addition to advertising the upcoming edition of the Benidorm Fest and tourism sites in the Valencian Community, will feature performances by previous editions’ performers, including Mawot, Kuve, and Kingdom.


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Six-year prison sentence for sexual assault of young woman upheld in Elche

The owner of a bar, sentenced to six years in prison for a sexual assault committed in his business against a 36-year-old drunken client, will remain in prison after the Criminal and Civil Chamber of the TSJ dismissed the appeal filed against the sentence of Section XI of the Elche Court that found him guilty, and sentencing him to a supervised measure for ten years to be executed once the sentence is served and not to approach the victim within 500 metres of the same.

The events took place in the early morning of May 31st, 2023. Hours earlier, the victim, her father, and some friends had gone to a bar after supper at another location, where they had consumed many glasses of wine and an alcoholic cocktail. She was enjoying a beer with her father when the incident occurred, and he then left. The proprietor and defendant in these proceedings then served her another one without her asking, at a table where she sat with three others. Finally, the young woman was left alone, and the bar closed. At the moment, the young woman was under the influence of alcohol, according to the verdict.

The owner opened the door again and asked her inside. “Taking advantage of the drunkenness she was in, which prevented her from effectively defending herself, and despite her telling him not to do that, the defendant knocked her to the floor and, saying ‘ I have to do it, I have to do it, ‘ he placed himself on top of her, without (the woman) being able to do anything to prevent him, other than putting her hands in front of her, as if trying to push him away,” as well as sexually assaulting her and ejaculating inside He then provided two beers and one to the woman, adding whisky and they both left the premises. He attempted to kiss her, but she declined.

The defence used security camera footage to dispute the victim’s testimony and determine that the evidence was misconstrued, claiming that the young woman was not inebriated. The Supreme Court rejected this claim, citing its own decision from Section XI, which stated that “viewing the recording allows us to corroborate the facts.” We can see that the complainant is not in very good shape, staggering, how she enters with her after closing the door, how the accused disappears from the screen and reappears without trousers (…) Also, as they say farewell, she rejects the accused’s kissing attempts.”


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