SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, May 22. (EUROPE PRESS) –
National Police agents, in a joint operation with Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency, have arrested three people, two men and one woman, as alleged perpetrators of the crimes of smuggling and against flora and fauna.
These people, presumably, were responsible for the illegal introduction into Spain of animals of protected species and their remains, which were later sold to be used in Santeria rituals.
The investigation began in 2021 when National Police officers learned that in two establishments on the island of Tenerife, one in Arona and the other in La Laguna, animals of protected species and remains were being sold for use in Santeria rites, reports the National Police in a note.
In order to try to determine the route of introduction of the animals on the island, the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of the Tax Agency of Tenerife carried out a detailed analysis of the postal parcels.
After these investigations, it was concluded that most of these animals were being introduced into the suitcases of various passengers on a traveler basis, trying to evade existing parcel controls.
Among the products they offered were bats, birds of Cuban origin, dog, wolf, monkey, cobra or crocodile heads, as well as elephant ivory, tiger fangs, gorilla teeth or African toads.
In the inspections carried out in the establishments, the National Police intervened live domestic animals destined for ritual practices, as well as remains of different protected animals such as hippopotamus, lion, hyena, crocodile, chameleon or seahorses.
Thus, after a technical analysis, it was confirmed that they were included in the ‘CITES’ catalogue, which confirmed the hypotheses of the researchers and the presumed authorship of the crimes by those responsible for the establishments.
For this reason, in a device that included the participation of agents from the General Information Commission and Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency, investigators arrested three people in Tenerife as alleged perpetrators of crimes of smuggling and wildlife. and flora.
