Joint operation of the Tax Agency and the National Police

• Two inspections have been carried out in establishments in which it was detected that animals and remains of species that were listed as protected according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were being sold.
• During the investigation, three people have been arrested as allegedly responsible for illegally introducing the animals into Spain for subsequent sale.

May 22, 2023.- Customs Surveillance Officials from the Tax Agency, in a joint operation with agents from the National Police, have detained three people, two men and one woman, as alleged perpetrators of smuggling crimes and crimes against flora and fauna. These people were allegedly responsible for the illegal introduction into Spanish territory of animals of protected species and their remains that were subsequently sold to be used in Santeria rituals.

Start of investigation

The investigation began in 2021, when agents of the National Police learned that, in two establishments on the island of Tenerife, one in Arona and the other in San Cristóbal de la Laguna, animals of protected species and remains of them for use in Santeria rites.

In order to try to determine the route of introduction of the animals onto the island, the Customs Surveillance Operational Unit of the Tenerife Tax Agency carried out a detailed analysis of the postal parcels. After these investigations, it was concluded that the majority of these animals were being placed in the suitcases of several passengers on a travel basis, trying to evade existing parcel controls.

Among the products were bats, birds of Cuban origin, heads of dogs, wolves, monkeys, cobras or crocodiles, as well as elephant ivory, tiger fangs, gorilla teeth or African toads.

Those responsible for commercial establishments arrested

In the inspections carried out in the establishments, the National Police seized live domestic animals intended for ritual practices, as well as remains of different protected animals; hippopotamus, lion, hyena, crocodile, chameleon or seahorses.

After a technical analysis of them, it was confirmed that they were included in the CITES catalogue, which confirmed the researchers' hypotheses and the alleged authorship of the crimes by those responsible for the establishments.

Finally, in a device that included the participation of Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency and agents from the General Information Commissariat, investigators arrested three people on the island of Tenerife as allegedly responsible for the crimes of smuggling and anti-trafficking. the fauna and flora. The specialists in charge of these investigations keep the email sectasdestructivas@policia.es enabled so that any citizen can communicate related facts, guaranteeing, at all times, anonymity and confidentiality.