Connect with us

Costa Blanca

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.

Advertisement

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.”

Advertisement

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.

Advertisement

Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Costa Blanca

Three arrested with van full of stolen copper cable from a Benidorm

A van containing copper cables stolen from an industrial location in Benidorm was stopped by National Police officers and three males, aged 29 to 40, arrested on suspicion of committing theft and damage offences. The CIMACC 091 Office received a report regarding the presence of a group of individuals in a van who were stealing cables in the area, which led to the police intervention.

The patrol that arrived at the scene promptly halted the vehicle in order to ascertain the identity of its occupants and determine whether they were in possession of the purportedly stolen wiring.

The officers discovered a substantial quantity of cable of varying types and sizes in the cargo area, as well as a variety of tools that were purportedly used to cut the wiring, after the vehicle was halted and secured.

The occupants of the vehicle claimed that they had discovered the material on the ground when questioned about its origin. However, officers noted that it was copper wire and that it had been severed.

The extent of the harm exceeded half a million euros


The stolen wiring was verified to be a part of the industrial estate’s facilities after talks with the manager of the company. The removal of the wiring resulted in extensive damage, as it involved buried copper cables whose replacement will cost over €500,000.

Advertisement


Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading

Costa Blanca

Police arrested a man who sold a niche for 1,500€ that he didn’t own

An individual has been arrested by the National Police in the town of Elche, Alicante, on suspicion of engaging in fraudulent activities. An octogenarian woman had been sold a niche in the town’s historic cemetery in exchange for 1,500 euros. A niche is a small, above-ground space or recess, often within a cemetery wall or structure, where a coffin or urn is placed for burial or storage. As per the municipal registry, the victim was not the owner at the cemetery at the time she attempted to execute the change of ownership.

The investigation commenced following a complaint lodged by an 80-year-old woman from Elche. She met a man through her life insurance broker who offered to lease a niche in the old Elche cemetery for 1,500 euros.

Consequently, the victim met this individual at the same cemetery that housed the requested niche. There, the victim and the man concluded the transfer of the niche and executed a private contract that was signed by both parties, rendering the transfer effective.

The grantor of the niche transferred the deed and other ownership documents associated with it to the victim after the victim paid the agreed-upon amount.

The victim, shortly thereafter, visited the municipal registry of the city to change the ownership. She was told the change was impossible because the person who gave her the property wasn’t the owner.

Advertisement

The officer who assisted the victim, however, attempted to mediate through a phone contact, despite this. She reported the incident to the National Police after the transferor hung up and ceased answering calls from both the officer and the victim after she explained the case to him.

After conducting the necessary investigations, the officers responsible for the case located and apprehended the suspect for the alleged fraud.

The investigation has been assigned to the Road Safety Investigation Unit of the Benidorm Armed Forces. The driver was subjected to alcohol and substance tests by members of the group, and the area was inspected to collect evidence that would help to resolve the tragic accident that claimed the lives of a family. The driver was apprehended subsequent to preliminary investigations.

Advertisement

Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading

Costa Blanca

Five injured in a two-car accident in Elche

According to the Alicante Provincial Fire Consortium and the Emergency Information and Coordination Centre (CICU), an accident between two vehicles on Avenida Algoda in Elche resulted in the injuries of five individuals: a 30-year-old man, a 19-year-old man, and three minors aged 16 on Saturday, April 19th.

A SAMU unit, an SVB, a conventional ambulance or public transport unit, a command headquarters unit (UMJ), a heavy urban fire department (BUP), a rescue van (FSV), a sergeant, a corporal, and six firefighters from the Elche fire station were dispatched to the scene upon the receipt of the call at approximately 11:35 p.m.

The driver of one of the vehicles was successfully extricated by firefighters (see above.) All of the injured sustained injuries and were transported to the General Hospital in Elche and the Vinalopó Hospital in Elche.


Discover more from Costa Blanca Daily

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Continue Reading

Adverts

Events Calendar

Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3

Adverts

Trending