Rome, major anti-poaching operation: hundreds of illegally captured birds seized
Thanks to the operation called "Turdus aureus" it allowed the recovery of hundreds of birds illegally captured in different regions. One person and 14 suspects were arrested, and 140.000 euros were also seized.
Rome, major anti-poaching operation: hundreds of illegally captured birds seized
The named operation was concluded in recent days “Turdus aureus”, as part of a complex investigative activity conducted by the Operations Department – Anti-poaching Operational Section and Crimes in Damage to CITES Carabinieri Animals (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species), together by the Carabinieri Forestry Group of Perugia and the Nature Anti-Crime Centre of Udine. This operation, aimed at combating illegal trafficking of avifauna intended for use as live decoys in hunting, in the final phase saw 131 Forestry Carabinieri involved, who they operated in various Italian regions.
The searches, on behalf of the Judicial Authority of Udine, were carried out against 5 subjects resident in Tuscany, 2 in Lombardy, 2 in Campania e 5 in Umbria, led to the seizure of large quantities of cash, amounting to 141.019,00 euros.
They were kidnapped, Furthermore, 164 dead specimens of avifauna belonging to protected and particularly protected species e 763 live specimens belonging to the thrush, blackbird and fieldfare species without identifying ring or with an altered identification ring, who have been entrusted to the care of wild animal recovery centers, with finality of preparatory rehabilitation to their release into nature, or ai CRAS.E. (Exotic Wild Animal Recovery Centres) of the Carabinieri which are supported by, in perfect synergy, the recovery centers of various associations, on the front line LIPU extension (Italian Bird Protection League), WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature), CABS (Committee against bird slaughter).
The Forestry Carabinieri also found and seized at several sites searched the equipment used for tampering and counterfeiting marking rings, (pliers, punches, calibrated machines for the production of rings, wedges, awls, punches, presses, hammers, files); 2.396 rings identified as immovable and ready for use were seized, 48 fowling nets, 6 electromagnetically operated acoustic calls, 3 capture pairs e 3.224 ammunition of various calibers.
During the activity, one of the suspects was arrested for the crime of illegal possession of illegal weapons, pursuant to art. 967 of the criminal code and articles. 3 and 23 L. 110/75, because he was found in possession, cleverly hidden inside his home, of a hunting rifle with abraded serial number.
During the searches, large quantities of doping medicines and medical instruments for administering them were seized. (syringes and surgical forceps). Yes These are drugs with active ingredients based on testosterone derivatives, having the ability to induce singing activity in male specimens, forcing the natural times.
These drugs can be injected if necessary only for medical purposes e only by veterinary doctors since their use, outside of a therapeutic plan, causes serious damage to the neuroendocrine system of animals to the point of distorting its physiology and to cause possible pathological effects.
Ai subjects recipients of search orders, involved in various capacities and in continuous competition with each other (art 81) in the complex dynamics of illegal avifauna trafficking which the Carabinieri investigate Forestry coordinated by the Udine Public Prosecutor's Office, the crimes of criminal association were charged (art. 416), person replacement (art. 494 cp), commercial fraud (Article 515), mistreatment of animals (art. 544 TER), theft and aggravated theft (articles 624 and 625), stolen (648) laundering and use of money, goods or other benefits deriving from crime in economic or financial activities (648 BIS and 648 ter), abusive use of real seals and instruments (Article 471), illegal possession of weapons, alteration of weapons, clandestine weapons, illegal possession of ammunition.
What was discovered by the Forestry Corps Departments places its own assumptions on the principle that wildlife qualifies in the legal system as "unavailable patrimony of the State and is protected in the interest of the national and international community" and therefore, the legal possession of each specimen of bred bird requires that it be affixed, tarsometatarsus of the same, without causing harm to the animal, within the first 10 days of life, an immovable identifying ring consisting of a continuous circle without joints or interruptions, having a diameter such that it cannot be removed once the bird's leg is fully developed, numbered according to current regulations in order to determine an individual marking and considered a seal.
Once again we are talking about the phenomenon of illicit trafficking of live decoys, which knows no solution of continuity and which represents a illicit business worth hundreds of thousands of euros every year, which traffickers do not seem to want to give up in any way.
The investigation, breakthrough of the Forestry Specialty of the Carabinieri with its widespread presence throughout the national territory, ha permission to reveal a criminal association branched out in various Italian regions, in able to supply a considerable number of birds, especially plumes of turbidity of illicit foreign origin, which after affixing to them identification rings provided by conniving breeders o altered to allow insertion or using genuine rings that by type and by dimensions are intended for avifauna specimens with larger paw builds, they were marketed as decoy birds for hunting to hunters unaware of their illicit origin.
Specimens of avifauna, captured mainly in the wild from the nests, they generated huge profits – the market value of a “recall” specimen can also reach 300 euros recycled in the last phase of the supply chain, for a turnover of hundreds of thousands of euros.
Born free, torn from wild life, forced to the absolute impossibility of flying, condemned to captivity, to imprisonment: this it is the fate that awaits thousands of wild birds every year.
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