Brazilian police have arrested 45 suspects and rescued more than 700 exotic animals in what authorities describe as the country’s largest-ever crackdown on wildlife trafficking.
The sweeping operation, which involved over 1,000 officers across Rio de Janeiro and several other states, targeted a highly organized criminal network that had been plundering Brazil’s unparalleled biodiversity for decades.
Among the rescued animals were toucans, macaws, monkeys, tortoises, and even a python, all transported to a central facility for veterinary care.
Forensic police were seen carrying cages of birds and reptiles, some carefully draped with blankets as veterinarians prepared them for checkups.
“This was the largest operation in Brazil’s history to combat the trafficking of wild animals, weapons, and ammunition,” police said in a statement, adding that the ring was also involved in arms trading to support other criminal activities.
Investigators revealed the group had a complex hierarchy: some members specialized in hunting and capturing animals, while others drugged and transported primates to urban markets for sale.
“Animal trafficking is not just cruel — it’s a death sentence,” said Bernardo Rossi, State Secretary of Environment and Sustainability. “Many animals die before even reaching the market, which shows the sheer brutality of this trade.”
The probe, which spanned more than a year, also identified buyers fueling the illegal demand, though police have not released their names.
Wildlife trafficking remains a critical threat in Brazil, with an estimated 38 million animals taken from the wild annually, according to the NGO RENCTAS. Alarmingly, 90 percent of these animals die before ever reaching the final consumer.
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