An international network of illegal fishing and trade in elvers has been dismantled in the Lisbon area, and almost 100 kilos of this type of protected eel have been seized, the Maritime Police announced today.
In a statement, the Maritime Police said that on Thursday its Central Criminal Investigation Unit (UCIC) carried out “a mega-operation in the Lisbon area, namely in the municipalities of Benavente, Cascais, Salvaterra de Magos and Vila Franca de Xira, to combat criminal networks associated with the illicit capture, trade and international trafficking of elvers”.
The operation resulted in the “arrest of three people and the dismantling of an international trafficking network in protected marine species”, with 26 judicial warrants having been executed, three people arrested and seven defendants constituted.
The authorities also seized 95 kilos of elvers (77 live and 18 frozen), “four vehicles, around 4,000 euros in cash, various firearms and bladed weapons, fishing gear, packaging material, suitcases, tanks and oxygenation material, various documents and digital evidence and narcotics (cocaine and cannabis),” said the Maritime Police.
The investigation began two years ago and had already led to the arrest of 21 individuals in the act, with the seizure of 420 kilos of elvers, which were to be transported by air, and 293 kilos transported by land.
In total, with Thursday’s operation, the volume of elvers seized exceeds 800 kilos, with an estimated value of more than 5 million euros (6,500 euros per kilo).
The Maritime Police operation was also supported by the PSP, GNR and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.
