The Civil Guard dismantles a network of poachers who manipulated hunting seals to reuse them

The Civil Guard, within the framework of the Ro3buk operation, has investigated 23 people belonging to a network of poachers who manipulated hunting seals to later reuse them. They are charged with the alleged crimes of Documentary Falsehood, against Flora, Fauna and Domestic Animals (Poaching), Concealment, Reception and Criminal Group.

In the operation, 13 roe deer trophies, 1 wolf skull, 1 freezer with alien species (nanday parrot) pending taxidermy, 4 wild male trophies and 123 hunting seals have been intervened. Most of the seals seized had been tampered with.

The operation began in May, when the Civil Guard became aware of the existence of an illegal workshop dedicated to dissecting animals located in Móstoles (Madrid).

Continuing with the investigations, the agents located the workshop for which they proceeded to inspect it, verifying that the taxidermy activity was carried out in that place (a place dedicated, among other activities, to the dissection of animals), and that it was equipped with all kinds tools, machinery and products necessary for this.

The aforementioned workshop was in an illegal situation, as it lacked an Environmental License, including those of Self-Employed Social Security, Declaration of the Tax Agency, and the registration of the workshop in the Ministry of the Environment of the Community of Madrid.

In these facilities, a large number of trophies were found in different work areas, as well as seals from different seasons. After issuing the minutes of the events, a total of thirteen roe deer trophies were intervened, as well as a wolf skull, which lacked a seal.

After analyzing the data from the taxidermy books and the seals, it was observed how the security system of many of them had been altered, which is why two more inspections were carried out.

In one, a freezer with non-native species such as a “nanday parrot” was sealed, pending taxidermy, and in the other, 4 unsealed wild male trophies and 123 hunting seals were seized.

After examining the 123 precincts, it was discovered that the hunting dates marked in some of them did not coincide with the data provided by the Provincial Hunting Delegations, and in others they had been duplicated.

With the police investigations carried out, the ownership of the bounded and data of hunters were located.

Among the people investigated is the taxidermist and 22 other people, (hunters and reserve managers), in the provinces of Ávila, Burgos, Valladolid, Guadalajara and Madrid, and it was discovered that sixty reserves spread throughout all the provinces of Castilla y León , Extremadura and Aragón together with those of the provinces of Guadalajara, Albacete, Toledo, Málaga, Castellón, Tarragona, Madrid, even the Regional Hunting Reserves of Castilla y León and Aragon, had been affected.

So far, a total of 33 crimes have been clarified and the illegal taxidermy workshop has been closed down.

The Civil Guard requests the collaboration of both citizens and hunting fans to detect this type of crime. They are key pieces to prevent that with these illegal activities, those responsible for the hunting reserves such as hunting sports fans are harmed, and that the Poachers, with their illegal activity, cause the populations of certain animals to decrease.

The operation has been developed by the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) of the Civil Guard of Ávila, with the support of SEPRONA Units of the Civil Guard of Getafe, Burgos, Palencia and Soria.

Both the persons investigated and everything intervened were made available to the Judicial Authority of Móstoles (Madrid).

For more information, you can contact the Peripheral Communication Office of the Civil Guard of Ávila, by phone 690 733 383 or 920 22 44 00 Ext .: 228.