Europæiske storsmuglere afsløret

Storsmuglere afsløret

Følgende blev sendt ud på EuroBirdNet af David Camillieri d. 3. august

Dear bird and nature lovers,

The CID in the North German town of landed a big coup yesterday and the
international animal smuggling trade suffered a big setback. The breeding
enclosures and business premises of two bird traders, both well-known
throughout Europe, were raided and searched. The police found and
confiscated over 300 birds of protected species including Dotterel, Greater
Sand Plover, Redshank, Curlew, various Tern species, Pratincoles and even
Woodchat Shrike. The two suspects were unable to prove the origin of the
birds; many rings were unclosed or forged and some birds were not ringed at
all.
The head of the smuggling ring was caught red-handed by the Norwegian
customs two years ago. His VW minibus at that time had been equipped with
concealed compartments which contained numerous wader and song bird eggs and
chicks.
CABS had been monitoring the internet activities of the traders for some
considerable time. Although they had been offering most uncommon species for
sale for years, charges laid with the police had not been successful to
date.

More information and pictures (at present in German only) at
http://www.komitee.de/index.php?metelen


Som det fremgår gjorde det tyske politi forleden store øjne under ransagning af to kendte fugleopdrætteres økonomiske og opdrætsmæssige forhold. Mere end 300 fugle fra beskyttede arter blev beslaglagt, heriblandt Pomeransfugl, Ørkenpræstekrave, Rødben og forskellige terne-arter. Flere af disse fugle var endda ikke ringmærket!

Dette viser velsagtens, at der stadig foregår en omfattende handel med (og produktion af) beskyttede fugle på det sorte marked i Europa. Vi kan dog håbe på, at aktioner som disse vil være med til at holde denne aktivitet på et minimum.