Colombian Cops Bust 21 Suspects And Seize Over 1,000 Exotic Animals Worth $1 Million

Some of the 1,004 animals of wild and exotic fauna recovered by police in Bogota, Medellin and Magangue, Colombia, in April, 2022. (Policia Nacional de Colombia/Zenger)

The Colombian authorities have arrested 21 people and seized over 1,000 exotic animals with a black market value of over $ 1 million US dollars during raids across the country.

In a statement obtained by Zenger News, the Colombian Government said on 11th April: “The National Police, in coordination with the Attorney General’s Office, together with the Special Group for the Fight against Animal Abuse (GELMA) and the environmental authorities of Bogota, Medellin, Cali, Popayan and Magangue (Bolivar), and with the support of the Fish & Wildlife Service of the United States, recently carried out Operation Leopard.”