Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e.V. Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

Komitee gegen den Vogelmord e. V.
Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

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Zypern – 22. 10. 2021

Poaching gang members arrested in the British Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus

Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS)

+++ PRESS RELEASE – 22 October 2021 +++

PR - Poaching gang members arrested in the British Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus - CABS.

CABS volunteers were part of a successful action that has put to a halt a poaching gang operating in Ayios Nikolaos, one of the main hotspots of bird trapping in the Eastern Sovereign Base Area on Cyprus.

The Operation took place on the 20th of October.The CABS team located a loud electronic caller during the night and immediately reported the location to the anti-poaching unit of the SBA Police. Police officers prepared an ambush in the morning and surprised two trappers who had set up 5 large mist-nets. The trappers were arrested, and their trapping equipment was seized. Over 150 birds were freed from the nets. Police investigations at the site and the premises of the trappers resulted in the confiscation of additional 3 mist-nets and 25 limesticks.

The operation was the latest in a series of successful operations against organised trapping gangs that were carried out in co-operation between CABS and the anti-poaching unit of the SBA Police. Earlier this autumn, CABS members assisted the police in convicting another three persons that were right at the top of the list of most wanted professional bird trappers.

“We are very happy about recent successful actions against organised poaching gangs operating in the Bases this autumn as these gangs have avoided punishment in the previous years. SBA Police have made a lot of efforts to investigate and to secure evidence to catch these trappers” said the CABS Wildlife Crime Officer Bostjan Debersek.

“However, we must not be complacent as there is still a lot of room for improvement. CABS has recorded an increase in levels of bird trapping both in the Bases and in the Republic of Cyprus this autumn.” added Debersek.

— ENDS —  

Contact for more information: CABS Investigations Officer Andrea Rutigliano, +39 346 9484460 or Email to CABS@komitee.de