Spanish Civil Guard arrested two Russians in Mallorca for allegedly selling exotic felines online amid a larger international trade. Operation Kotach started in March 2024, focusing on extensive breeding of servals and caracals. Authorities uncovered a network distributing animals like white tigers, primarily sourced from regions such as Russia and Belarus, which had illegally entered the EU via the Polish border, backed by counterfeit documents. The operation highlights significant global demand for protected species, showing that the local breeding was only a small aspect of a much larger trafficking concern.
The breeding of caracals and servals in Mallorca was the "tip of the iceberg" of an international network of protected species such as white tigers.
The Civil Guard said the wildlife trade was only a small part of a global trade in protected species involving significant demand from various continents.
Operation Kotach began in March 2024 after uncovering Russian citizens breeding servals and caracals, with animals sold through social media.
Investigations revealed most animals for sale came from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, entering the EU with fraudulent documentation.
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