Full details on page 40
ISSUE NO. 1653
9 - 15 March 2017
COSTA DE ALMERÍA
YOUR PAPER, YOUR VOICE, YOUR OPINION
Thunderbirds are go Illegal animal trade targeted in police raids By Matthew Elliott Seprona agents across Almeria played a central role in capturing 59 crooks who smuggled exotic animals into Spain. The sheer scale of the crimes exposed in Operation Thunderbird has shocked animal lovers across the country. The nationwide operation targeted a sophisticated species trafficking syndicate. Agents from Seprona, the animal protection wing of the Guardia Civil, rescued more than 800 animals from the clutches of smugglers. For two weeks in January they raided ports and industrial estates across the country. The full story has only now been released to the press. In Almeria Province agents raided 30 shops after tracking 25 websites dedicated to animal trafficking. They searched 290 crates and packages at the port and saved scores of animals, some of them highly endangered. Among those rescued in Almeria were iguanas, Chinese water dragons, a chameleon from Arabia, several macaws and a red-tailed grey parrot. There were also a dozen black African turtles on sale for €500 each and three pieces of elephant ivory found in an Almeria antiques shop. Throughout Spain Seprona agents found wild cats, lynxes and a lion, 35 monkeys, 48 vultures, hawks and eagles,
some 200 exotic birds, hundreds of reptiles, including snakes and crocodiles, and even marine species including sharks, sea horses and a walrus. They also seized two kilos of sturgeon caviar, musical instruments made of elephant
tusks, shark teeth, and cheetah and zebra skins. Interpol believes that Spain is at particular risk for involvement in the world's booming black market in exotic animals. Its proximity to Africa and connections with
south and central America make it a prime hub for traffickers. Animal trafficking is the fourth most lucrative illegal industry in the world according to the United Nations, worth anywhere from €100200 billion a year and growing all the time.
WWW.EUROWEEKLYNEWS.COM
All at sea FIVE people had to be rescued by helicopter when their catamaran sprung a leak off the coast of Garrucha on Friday (March 3). After lifting them to safety, the helicopter took the group to Almeria airport, where paramedics tended to one of them who had an injured ear. See page 8
Helping Leo MOJACAR Council has joined the campaign to help Leo the Lion and his family. The campaign to raise funds to help Leo’s parents cover the cost of his treatment in the US, one which is very close to the heart of the
EWN, was also joined two years ago by the teachers at his sister’s school in Palomares who have approached local authorities all over the Levante area. See page 10
Chocks away THE general plans for Almeria airport for the next eight years include construction of a new auxiliary terminal to keep up with demand. The new terminal, the plans reveal, will be for non-commercial, private aviation flights and light aircraft and helicopter routes, as long as the current See page 12 level of demand continues.
Council griping RATES are going up in Sierro this year and, according to the opposition, it’s all due to bad management on the part of the council. The council, PSOE claimed, has been wasting money on work that wasn’t necessary including €80,000 on renovating two squares which didn’t need it and €48,000 on replacing cement pillars at the theatre with metal ones. See page 57
Win a Car! ANIMAL TRAFFICKING: A range of animals were seized.
YOU CAN STILL BE THE WINNER OF A CAR! SEE PAGES 6 & 7