In Kyiv, Obolonsky district law enforcement officers together with eco-inspectors exposed the illegal trade in red-listed and exotic animals that were kept in unbearable conditions.
During the search, about 400 animals and birds were found, including tiger cubs, raccoons, monkeys, owls, caracals, rare tropical birds, reptiles, etc., reports State Inspection on Telegram
Animals were kept in residential apartments in narrow boxes and cages without proper nutrition.
"It was established that a 36-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man sold animals through the website and social networks. According to the court order, we conducted 5 searches in the conspiratorial and personal apartments of the participants, where we found about 400 animals of various species, including three small tiger cubs, monkeys, raccoons, reptiles and birds", said the acting head of the Obolon police department, Serhiy Bondar.
In some enclosures, sanitary and hygienic norms were violated, herbivorous and predatory animals were kept in adjacent cages in the same room, and some of them were dehydrated and exhausted. Also, during the searches, many veterinary documents with signs of forgery and blank animal document forms were discovered.
Violations were discovered by the police thanks to monitoring of the Internet, namely several ads for the sale of animals whose habitat is wild nature and which are listed in the Red Book, Kyiv Police on Facebook.
Intruders faces up to eight years in prison with confiscation of animals. Investigators initiated two criminal proceedings for:
- Part 3 of Art. 299 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – cruelty to animals committed with particular cruelty or in relation to two or more animals;
- Part 3 of Art. 358 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – forgery of documents, seals, stamps and forms, sale or use of forged documents, seals, stamps committed by a group of persons in a prior conspiracy.
Negotiations are currently underway with the Kyiv Zoo regarding the transfer of animals for maintenance and rehabilitation.
We will remind in Ukraine, citizens of Syria and Lebanon paid bird catchers 50 hryvnias for one goldfinch, tit, and goldfinch, which were smuggled to Arab countries and sold for €30-50.
As EcoPolitic previously reported, at Boryspil airport, customs officials found a bag with 4 red book falcons, which they tried to smuggle to Qatar.
