Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub-Editor: Joana Mihajlovska, Agency: Newsflash
The Mexican authorities have seized 39 crocodiles, eight turtles and two chameleons in three different operations across three different states.
The raids were announced by the Attorney General of Mexico (FGR) and the National Guard (GN) in official statements on 30th January.
The FGR announced members of the Federal Ministerial Police (PFM) based in the municipality of Villaflores in the Mexican state of Chiapas were contacted by an unnamed citizen who alerted them about the possible illegal trafficking of crocodiles.
PFM found 39 specimens shown in the video as they are walk on top of each other to get out of the overcrowded icebox.
Their statement said the species was subject to “special protection” by Mexican law but did not specify the species or what the protection is.
The GN announced that they rescued eight turtles found in socks during a routine check of a courier company at Ponciano Arriaga International Airport in the city of San Luis Potosi in the state of the same name.
Their statement said “most of the turtle species” in Mexico are considered endangered and are under “special protection” but did not specify the species of turtles they seized.
The GN also found two chameleons in bad physical condition which were found by sniffer dogs at Queretaro International Airport in the state of Queretaro.
A video shows a GN member taking one of the chameleons out of a small plastic container inside a cardboard box.
The FGR said they “started an investigation against the person or people who are the most likely responsible for a crime against biodiversity after finding the 39 crocodiles”.
There have been no arrests reported for the three incidents yet.
All seized animals were placed in the care of the Federal Attorney of Environment Protection (Profepa) as the investigation continues.
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