Couple caught smuggling exotic animals into Tenerife
A couple has been arrested in Santa Cruz de Tenerife after allegedly trying to smuggle dozens of exotic and protected animals into the Canary Islands.
The animals were discovered inside a backpack left behind at the passenger boarding area of the port in Cádiz.
The discovery was made on 5th July during a routine customs inspection by the Guardia Civil. Officers found the unattended backpack just before the security checkpoint and, after confirming it posed no immediate threat, opened it to reveal 11 plastic containers filled with live animals.
The contents included two large spiders, two monitor lizards, a gecko, three snakes, a scorpion, a frog, several mice, worms, and millipedes. Some of the animals belong to protected species, while others are classified as invasive and pose a serious threat to the delicate ecosystems of the Canary Islands.
According to the Guardia Civil, the animals were being transported in poor conditions, with little ventilation and inadequate space. Officers had to make emergency holes in the containers to allow air flow and ensure the animals’ survival.
The case was taken over by the Nature Protection Service (Seprona) and the animals were transferred to the Bioparc conservation centre in Fuengirola, Málaga, for identification and appropriate care.
Further investigation by the Fiscal and Border Analysis and Investigation Unit (UDAIFF) in Cádiz revealed that the suspects had deliberately abandoned the backpack after noticing police activity, and continued their journey to the Canary Islands without the illicit cargo.
On 22nd July, with the support of Seprona in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, both of them were arrested and charged with wildlife trafficking and animal cruelty.
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